<i»      jm.     an  *••  k_^^. 

BUJRCHAS 


BY 

EMERSON, 
H  O  U  G 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 


By  EMERSON  HOUGH 

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Josephine,   Countess  St.   Auban 


The  Purchase  Price 

OR 

THE  CAUSE  OF  COMPROMISE 


By 
EMERSON  HOUGH 


AUTHOR  OF 

THE  MISSISSIPPI  BUBBLE 
54-40  OR  FIGHT 


WITH  ILLUSTRATIONS  BY 

M.  LEONE  BRACKER  AND  EDMUND  FREDERICK 


INDIANAPOLIS 

THE  BOBBS-MERRILL  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


COPYRIGHT  1910 
BY  EMERSON  HOUGH 


3S"/ 
0  7f 


PRESS  OF 

BRAUNWORTH  <t  CO. 

BOOKBINDERS  AND  PRINTERS 

BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 


TO 

HON.  ALBERT  J.  BEVERIDGE 

A  PROGRESSIVE  IN  THE  CAUSE  OF 

ACTUAL  FREEDOM 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

PAGE 

I 

A  LADY  IN  COMPANY     

I 

II 

THE  GATEWAY  AND  SOME  WHO  PASSED    . 

23 

III 

THE  QUESTION        

36 

IV 

THE  GAME       

47 

V 

SPOLIA  OPIMA         

55 

VI 

THE  NEW  MASTER         

68 

VII 

A  CONFUSION  IN  CHATTELS          

85 

VIII 

THE  SHADOW  CABINET          

96 

IX 

TALLWOODS     

114 

X 

FREE  AND  THRALL        

133 

XI 

THE  GARMENTS  OF  ANOTHER      

138 

XII 

THE  NIGHT     

*J 

152 

XIII 

THE  INVASION         

170 

XIV 

THE  ARGUMENT      

1  80 

XV 

1  86 

XVI 

iqc 

XVII 

THE  LADY  AT  TALLWOODS           

7J 
205 

XVIII 

ON  PAROLE     

213 

XIX 

THE  ENEMY     

223 

XX 

THE  ART  OF  DOCTOR  JAMIESON          .... 

231 

XXI 

THE  PAYMENT        

243 

XXII 

THE  WAY  OF  A  MAID    ........ 

267 

XXIII 

IN  WASHINGTON     

277 

XXIV 

IN  THE  NAME  OF  ALTRUISM         

292 

XXV 

THE  ARTFUL  GENTLEMAN  FROM  KENTUCKY 

303 

XXVI 

THE  DISTINGUISHED  GENTLEMAN  FROM  NEW  YORK 

320 

XXVII 

A  SPLENDID  FAILURE           

341 

XXVIII 

IN  ACKNOWLEDGMENT          ...... 

353 

XXfX 

IN  OLD  ST.  GENEVIEVE         

374 

XXX 

THE  TURNCOAT      

385 

XXXI 

THE  SPECTER  IN  THE  HOUSE       

398 

THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 


THE 
PURCHASE    PRICE 

CHAPTER  I 

A    LADY    IN     COMPANY 

«  TV/TAD  AM,   you   are   charming!     You  have   not 

•*•*-*•  slept,  and  yet  you  smile.  No  man  could  ask 
a  better  prisoner." 

She  turned  to  him,  smiling  faintly. 

"  I  thank  you.  At  least  we  have  had  breakfast,  and 
for  such  mercy  I  am  grateful  to  my  jailer.  I  admit  I 
was  famished.  What  now  ?  " 

With  just  the  turn  of  a  shoulder  she  indicated  the 
water  front,  where,  at  the  end  of  the  dock  on  which 
they  stood,  lay  the  good  ship,  Mount  Vernon,  river 
packet,  the  black  smoke  already  pouring  from  her 
stacks.  In  turn  he  smiled  and  also  shrugged  a  shoul 
der. 

"  Let  us  not  ask !  My  dear  lady,  I  could  journey 
on  for  ever  with  one  so  young  and  pleasant  as  yourself. 
I  will, give  you  my  promise  in  exchange  for  your 
parole." 

Now  her  gesture  was  more  positive,  her  glance 
flashed  more  keenly  at  him.  "  Do  not  be  too  rash," 

i 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

she  answered.  "  My  parole  runs  only  while  we  travel 
together  privately.  As  soon  as  we  reach  coach  or  boat, 
matters  will  change.  I  reserve  the  right  of  any  pris 
oner  to  secure  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness. 
I  shall  endeavor,  believe  me  —  and  in  my  own  way." 

He  frowned  as  she  presently  went  on  to  make  herself 
yet  more  clear.  "  It  was  well  enough  when  we  traveled 
in  our  own  private  express,  from  Washington  here 
to  Pittsburg,  for  then  there  was  no  chance  for  escape. 
I  gave  my  parole,  because  it  pleased  you  and  did  not 
jeopardize  myself.  Here  my  jailer  may  perhaps  have 
some  trouble  with  me." 

"  You  speak  with  the  courage  and  fervor  of  the  true 
leader  of  a  cause,  Madam,"  he  rejoined,  now  smiling. 
"  What  evil  days  are  these  on  which  I  have  fallen  — 
I,  a  mere  soldier  obeying  orders!  Not  that  I  have 
found  the  orders  unpleasant;  but  it  is  not  fair  of  you 
to  bring  against  mankind  double  weapons!  Such  is 
not  the  usage  of  civilized  warfare.  Dangerous  enough 
you  are  as  woman  alone,  without  bringing  to  your  aid 
those  gifts  of  mind  suited  to  problems  which  men  have 
been  accustomed  to  arrogate  to  themselves." 

"  Arrogate  is  quite  the  right  word.  It  is  especially 
fit  for  a  jailer." 

This  time  the  shaft  went  home.  The  florid  coun 
tenance  of  young  Captain  Carlisle  flushed  yet  ruddier 
beneath  its  tan.  His  lips  set  still  more  tightly  under 
the  scant  reddish  mustache.  With  a  gesture  of  im 
patience  he  lifted  his  military  hat  and  passed  a  hand 
over  the  auburn  hair  which  flamed  above  his  white 

2 


CARLISLE    TURNED,    A    MAN'S    ADMIRATION    IN    HIS    EYES 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

forehead.  His  slim  figure  stiffened  even  as  his  face 
became  more  stern.  Clad  in  the  full  regimentals  of 
his  rank,  he  made  a  not  unmanly  figure  as  he  stood 
there,  though  hardly  taller  than  this  splendid  woman 
whom  he  addressed  —  a  woman  somewhat  reserved, 
mocking,  enigmatic;  but,  as  he  had  said,  charming. 
That  last  word  of  description  had  been  easy  for  any 
man  who  had  seen  her,  with  her  long-lashed  dark  eyes, 
her  clear  cheek  just  touched  with  color,  her  heavy 
dark  hair  impossible  to  conceal  even  under  its  engulfing 
bonnet,  her  wholly  exquisite  and  adequate  figure 
equally  unbanished  even  by  the  trying  costume  of  the 
day.  She  stood  erect,  easy,  young,  strong,  fit  to  live ; 
and  that  nature  had  given  her  confidence  in  herself 
was  evidenced  now  in  the  carriage  of  head  and  body 
as  she  walked  to  and  fro,  pausing  to  turn  now  and 
then,  impatient,  uneasy,  like  some  caged  creature,  as 
lithe,  as  beautiful,  as  dangerous  and  as  puzzling  in  the 
matter  of  future  conduct.  Even  as  he  removed  his 
cap,  Carlisle  turned  to  her,  a  man's  admiration  in  his 
eyes,  a  gentleman's  trouble  also  there. 

"  My  dear  Countess  St.  Auban,"  said  he,  more 
formally,  "  I  wish  that  you  might  never  use  that  word 
with  me  again, —  jailer !  I  am  only  doing  my  duty  as 
a  soldier.  The  army  has  offered  to  it  all  sorts  of 
unpleasant  tasks.  They  selected  me  as  agent  for  your 
disappearance  because  I  am  an  army  officer.  I  had 
no  option,  I  must  obey.  In  my  profession  there  is  not 
enough  fighting,  and  too  much  civilian  work,  police 
work,  constable  work,  detective  work.  There  are 

4 


A  LADY  IN  COMPANY 

fools  often  for  officers,  and  over  them  politicians  who 
are  worse  fools,  sometimes.  Well,  then,  why  blame 
a  simple  fellow  like  me  for  doing  what  is  given  him  to 
do?  I  have  not  liked  the  duty,  no  matter  how  much 
I  have  enjoyed  the  experience.  Now,  with  puzzles 
ended  and  difficulties  beginning,  you  threaten  to  make 
my  unhappy  lot  still  harder !  " 

"  Why  did  you  bring  me  here?  " 

"  That  I  do  not  know.  I  could  not  answer  you 
even  did  I  know." 

"And  why  did  I  come?"  she  mused,  half  to  her 
self. 

"  Nor  can  I  say  that.  Needs  must  when  the  devil 
drives;  and  His  Majesty  surely  was  on  the  box  and 
using  his  whip-hand,  two  days  ago,  back  in  Washing 
ton.  Your  own  sense  of  fairness  will  admit  as  much 
as  that." 

She  threw  back  her  head  like  a  restless  horse, 
blooded,  mettlesome,  and  resumed  her  pacing  up  and 
down,  her  hands  now  clasped  behind  her  back. 

"  When  I  left  the  carriage  with  my  maid  Jeanne, 
there,"  she  resumed  at  length ;  "  when  I  passed  through 
that  dark  train  shed  at  midnight,  I  felt  that  some 
thing  was  wrong.  When  the  door  of  the  railway 
coach  was  opened  I  felt  that  conviction  grow.  When 
you  met  me  —  the  first  time  I  ever  saw  you,  sir, — 
I  felt  my  heart  turn  cold." 

"Madam!" 

"  And  when  the  door  of  the  coach  closed  on  myself 
and  my  maid, —  when  we  rolled  on  away  from  the  city, 

5 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

in  spite  of  all  I  could  do  or  say  — ,  why,  then,  sir,  you 
were  my  jailer.  Have  matters  changed  since  then?" 

"  Madam,  from  the  first  you  were  splendid !  You 
showed  pure  courage.  '  I  am  a  prisoner ! '  you  cried  at 
first  —  not  more  than  that.  But  you  said  it  like  a  lady, 
a  noblewoman.  I  admired  you  then  because  you 
faced  me  —  w^iom  you  had  never  seen  before  —  with 
no  more  fear  than  had  I  been  a  private  and  you  my 
commanding  officer." 

"  Fear  wins  nothing." 

"  Precisely.  Then  let  us  not  fear  what  the  future 
may  have  for  us.  I  have  no  directions  beyond  this 
point, —  Pittsburg.  I  was  to  take  boat  here,  that  was 
all.  I  was  to  convey  you  out  into  the  West,  some 
where,  anywhere,  no  one  was  to  know  where.  And 
someway,  anyway,  my  instructions  were,  I  was  to  lose 
you  —  to  lose  you,  Madam,  in  plain  point  of  fact. 
And  now,  at  the  very  time  I  am  indiscreet  enough  to 
tell  you  this  much,  you  make  my  cheerful  task  the 
more  difficult  by  saying  that  you  must  be  regarded 
only  as  a  prisoner  of  war!  " 

Serene,  smiling,  enigmatic,  she  faced  him  with  no 
fear  whatever  showing  in  her  dark  eyes.  The  clear 
light  of  the  bright  autumn  morning  had  no  terrors 
for  youth  and  health  like  hers.  She  put  back  a  truant 
curl  from  her  forehead  where  'it  had  sought  egress  to 
the  world,  and  looked  him  full  in  the  face  now,  draw 
ing  a  deep  breath  which  caused  the  round  of  her 
bosom  to  lift  the  lace  at  her  throat.  Then,  woman 
like,  she  did  the  unlocked  for,  and  laughed  at  him, 

6 


A  LADY  IN  COMPANY 

a  low,  full  ripple  of  wholesome  laughter,  which 
evoked  again  a  wave  of  color  to  his  sensitive  face. 
Josephine  St.  Auban  was  a  prisoner, —  a  prisoner  of 
state,  in  fact,  and  such  by  orders  not  understood  by 
herself,  although,  as  she  knew  very  well,  a  prisoner 
without  due  process  of  law.  Save  for  this  tearful 
maid  who  stood  yonder,  she  was  alone,  friendless. 
Her  escape,  her  safety  even,  lay  in  her  own  hands. 
Yet,  even  now,  learning  for  the  first  time  this  much 
definitely  regarding  the  mysterious  journey  into  which 
she  had  been  entrapped  —  even  now,  a  prisoner  held 
fast  in  some  stern  and  mysterious  grasp  whose  reason 
and  whose  nature  she  could  not  know  —  she  laughed, 
when  she  should  have  wept ! 

"  My  instructions  were  to  take  you  out  beyond  this 
point,"  went  on  Carlisle ;  "  and  then  I  was  to  lose  you, 
as  I  have  said.  I  have  had  no  definite  instructions  as 
to  how  that  should  be  done,  my  dear  Countess."  His 
eyes  twinkled  as  he  stiffened  to  his  full  height  and 
almost  met  the  level  of  her  own  glance. 

"  The  agent  who  conveyed  my  orders  to  me  —  he 
comes  from  Kentucky,  you  see  —  said  to  me  that  while 
I  could  not  bow-string  you,  it  would  be  quite  proper 
to  put  you  in  a  sack  and  throw  you  overboard. 
'  Only,'  said  he  to  me,  '  be  careful  that  this  sack  be 
tightly  tied;  and  be  sure  to  drop  her  only  where  the 
water  is  deepest.  And  for  God's  sake,  my  dear  young 
man,'  he  said  to  me,  '  be  sure  that  you  do  not  drop  her 
anywhere  along  the  coast  of  my  own  state  of  Ken 
tucky;  for  if  you  do,  she  will  untie  the  sack  and  swim 

7 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

ashore   into   my  constituency,   where   I   have   trouble 
enough  without  the  Countess  St.  Auban,  active  abo 
litionist,  to  increase  it.       Trouble  ' — said  he  to  me - 
'  thy  name  is  Josephine  St.  Auban ! ' 

"  My  dear  lady,  to  that  last,  I  agree.  But,  there  you 
have  my  orders.  You  are,  as  may  be  seen,  close  to 
the  throne,  so  far  as  we  have  thrones  in  this  country." 

"  Then  I  am  safe  until  we  get  below  the  Kentucky 
shore  ?  "  she  queried  calmly. 

"  I  beg  you  not  to  feel  disturbed, —  "  he  began. 

"  Will  you  set  me  down  at  Louisville  ?  " 

"  Madam,  I  can  not." 

"  You  have  not  been  hampered  with  extraordinary 
orders.  You  have  just  said,  the  carte  blanche  is  in 
your  hands." 

"  I  have  no  stricter  orders  at  any  time  than  those 
I  take  from  my  own  conscience,  Madam.  I  must  act 
for  your  own  good  as  well  as  for  that  of  others." 

Her  lip  curled  now.  "  Then  not  even  this  country 
is  free !  Even  here  there  are  secret  tribunals.  Even 
here  there  are  hired  bravos." 

"  Ah,  Madam,  please,  not  that!     I  beg  of  you  - 

"  Excellently  kind  of  you  all,  to  care  so  tenderly 
for  me  —  and  yourselves!  I,  only  a  woman,  living 
openly,  with  ill  will  for  none,  paying  my  own  way,  vio 
lating  no  law  of  the  land  - 

"  Your  words  are  very  bitter,  Madam." 

"  The  more  bitter  because  they  are  true.  You  will 
release  me  then  at  Cairo,  below  ?  " 

8 


A  LADY  IN  COMPANY 

"  I  can  not  promise,  Madam.  You  would  be  back 
in  Washington  by  the  first  boats  and  trains." 

"So,  the  plot  runs  yet  further?  Perhaps  you  do 
not  stop  this  side  the  outer  ways  of  the  Mississippi? 
Say,  St.  Louis,  New  Orleans?" 

"  Perhaps  even  beyond  those  points,"  he  rejoined 
grimly.  "  I  make  no  promises,  since  you  yourself 
make  none." 

"  What  are  your  plans,  out  there,  beyond  ?  " 

"  You  ask  it  frankly,  and  with  equal  frankness  I  say 
I  do  not  know.  Indeed,  I  am  not  fully  advised  in  all 
this  matter.  It  was  imperative  to  get  you  out  of 
Washington,  and  if  so,  it  is  equally  imperative  to  keep 
you  out  of  Washington.  At  least  for  a  time  I  am 
obliged  to  construe  my  carte  blanche  in  that  way,  my 
dear  lady.  And  as  I  say,  my  conscience  is  my  strictest 
officer." 

'  Yes,"  she  said,  studying  his  face  calmly  with  her 
steady  dark  eyes. 

It  was  a  face  sensitive,  although  bony  and  lined; 
stern,  though  its  owner  still  was  young.  She  noticed 
the  reddish  hair  and  beard,  the  florid  skin,  the  blue 
eye  set  deep  —  a  fighting  eye,  yet  that  of  a  visionary. 

"  You  are  a  fanatic,"  she  said. 

"  That  is  true.  You,  yourself,  are  of  my  own  kind. 
You  would  kill  me  without  tremor,  if  you  had  orders, 
and  I  — " 

"  You  would  do  as  much !  " 

"  You  are  of  my  kind,  Madam.  Yes ;  we  both  take 

9 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

orders  from  our  own  souls.     And  that  we  think  alike 
in  many  ways  I  am  already  sure." 

"  None  the  less  — " 

"  None  the  less,  I  can  not  agree  to  set  you  down  at 
Cairo,  or  at  any  intermediate  point.  I  will  only  give 
my  promise  in  return  for  your  own  parole.  That,  I 
would  take  as  quickly  as  though  it  were  the  word  of 
any  officer;  but  you  do  not  give  it." 

"  No,  I  do  not.  I  am  my  own  mistress.  I  am 
going  to  escape  as  soon  as  I  can." 

He  touched  his  cap  in  salute.  "  Very  well,  then. 
I  flattered  myself  we  had  done  well  together  thus  far 
—  you  have  made  it  easy.  But  now  —  no,  no,  I  will 
not  say  it.  I  would  rather  see  you  defiant  than  to 
have  you  weaken.  I  love  courage,  and  you  have  it. 
That  will  carry  you  through.  It  will  keep  you  clean 
and  safe  as  well." 

Her  face  clouded  for  the  first  time. 

"  I  have  not  dared  to  think  of  that,"  she  said.  "  So 
long  as  we  came  in  the  special  train,  with  none  to 
molest  or  make  me  afraid  —  afraid  with  that  fear 
which  a  woman  must  always  have  —  we  did  well 
enough,  as  I  have  said;  but  now,  here  in  the  open,  in 
public,  before  the  eyes  of  all,  who  am  I,  and  who  are 
you  to  me  ?  I  am  not  your  mother  ?  " 

"  Scarcely,  at  twenty  three  or  four."  He  pursed  a 
judicial  lip. 

"  Nor  your  sister  ?  " 

"  No." 

10 


c       c. 

THE   MOUNT   VERXON 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Nor  your  wife?  " 

"  No."  He  flushed  here,  although  he  answered 
simply. 

"  Nor  your  assistant  in  any  way?  " 

His  face  lighted  suddenly. 

"  Why  not?  "  said  he.  "  Can't  you  be  my  amanuen 
sis, —  that  sort  of  thing,  you  see?  Come,  we  must 
think  of  this.  This  is  where  my  conscience  hurts  me 

—  I  can't  bear  to  have  my  duty  hurt  you.     That,  my 
dear  Countess,  cuts  me  to  the  quick.     You  will  believe 
that,  won't  you?  " 

"  Yes,  I  believe  that.  Jeanne,"  she  motioned  to 
her  maid  who  stood  apart  all  this  time,  "  my  wrap, 
please.  I  find  the  air  cool.  When  the  body  is  weak 
or  worn,  my  dear  sir,  the  mind  is  not  at  its  best;  and 
I  shall  need  all  my  wits." 

"  But  you  do  not  regard  me  as  your  enemy  ?  " 
"  I  am  forced  to  do  so.     Personally,  I  thank  you ; 
professionally,  I  must  fight  you.     Socially,  I  must  be 

—  what  did  you  say, —  your  amanuensis  ?     So !     We 
are  engaged  in  a  great  work,  a  treatise  on  our  river 
fortifications,    perhaps?     But    since    when    did    army 
officers  afford  the  luxury  of  amanuenses  in  this  simple 
republic?     Does  your  Vehmgerichte  pay  such  extraor 
dinary  expenses  ?     Does  your  carte  blanche  run  so  far 
as  that  also  ?  " 

"  You  must  not  use  such  terms  regarding  the  govern 
ment  of  this  country,"  he  protested.  "  Our  adminis 
tration  does  not  suit  me,  but  it  has  pleased  a  majority 
of  our  people,  else  it  would  not  be  in  power,  and  it  is 

12 


A  LADY  IN  COMPANY 

no  Vehmgerichte.  The  law  of  self  preservation  ob 
tains  in  this  country  as  with  all  nations,  even  in  Europe. 
But  we  have  planned  no  confiscation  of  your  property, 
nor  threatened  any  forfeiture  of  your  life." 

"  No,  you  have  only  taken  away  that  which  is  dearer 
than  anything  else,  that  which  your  government  guar 
antees    to    every    human    being    in    this    country  - 
liberty!" 

"  And  even  that  unconstitutional  point  shall  remain 
such  no  longer  than  I  can  help,  Madam.  Do  not  make 
our  journey  longer  by  leaving  it  more  difficult.  God 
knows,  I  am  beset  enough  even  as  it  is  now.  But  be 
sure  our  Vehmgerichte,  as  you  are  pleased  to  call  it, 
shall  never,  at  least  while  I  am  its  agent,  condemn  you 
to  any  situation  unsuited  to  a  gentlewoman.  A  very 
high  compliment  has  been  paid  you  in  holding  you 
dangerous  because  of  your  personal  charm.  It  is  true, 
Madam,  that  is  why  you  were  put  out  of  Washington 
—  because  you  were  dangerous.  They  thought  you 
could  get  the  ear  of  any  man  —  make  him  divulge  se 
crets  which  he  ought  to  keep  —  if  you  just  asked  him 
to  do  it  —  for  the  sake  of  Josephine  St.  Auban  !  "  He 
jerked  out  his  sentences,  as  though  habitual  reticence 
and  lack  of  acquaintance  with  women  left  it  difficult 
for  him  to  speak,  even  thus  boldly. 

"  Oh,  thank  you,  thank  you !  "  She  clapped  her 
hands  together,  mockingly. 

"  Before  now,  women  less  beautiful  than  you  have 
robbed  men  of  their  reason,  have  led  them  to  do  things 
fatal  as  open  treason  to  their  country.  .These  men 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

were  older  than  you  or  I.  Perhaps,  as  you  will  agree, 
they  were  better  able  to  weigh  the  consequences.  You 
are  younger  than  they,  younger  than  I,  myself;  but 
you  are  charming  —  and  you  are  young.  Call  it 
cruel  of  me,  if  you  like,  to  take  you  by  the  hand  and 
lead  you  gently  away  from  that  sort  of  danger  for 
just  a  few  days.  Call  me  jailer,  if  you  like.  None  the 
less  it  is  my  duty,  and  I  shall  call  it  in  part  a  kind 
ness  to  you  to  take  you  away  from  scenes  which  might 
on  both  sides  be  dangerous.  Some  of  the  oldest  and 
best  minds  of  this  country  have  felt  — 

"  At  least  those  minds  were  shrewd  in  choosing  their 
agent,"  she  rejoined.  "Yes;  you  are  fanatic,  that  is 
plain.  You  will  obey  orders.  And  you  have  not  been 
much  used  to  women.  That  makes  it  harder  for  me. 
Or  easier !  "  She  smiled  at  him  again,  very  blithe  for 
a  prisoner. 

"  It  ought  to  have  been  held  down  to  that,"  he 
began  disconsolately.  "  I  should  have  been  all  along 
professional  only.  It  began  well  when  you  gave  me 
your  parole,  so  that  I  need  not  sit  nodding  and  blink 
ing,  over  against  you  also  nodding  and  blinking  all 
night  long.  Had  you  been  silly,  as  many  women  would 
have  been,  you  could  not  this  morning  be  so  fresh 
and  brilliant  —  even  though  you  tell  me  you  have  not 
slept,  which  seems  to  me  incredible.  I  myself  slept 
like  a  boy,  confident  in  your  word.  Now,  you  have 
banished  sleep!  Nodding  and  blinking,  I  must  hence 
forth  watch  you,  nodding  and  blinking,  unhappy, 
uncomfortable;  whereas,  were  it  in  my  power,  I 

14 


A  LADY  IN  COMPANY 

would  never  have  you  know  the  first  atom  of  discom 
fort." 

"There,  there!  I  am  but  an  amanuensis,  my  dear 
Captain  Carlisle." 

He  colored  almost  painfully,  but  showed  his  own 
courage.  "  I  only  admire  the  wisdom  of  the  Vehm- 
gerichte.  They  knew  you  were  dangerous,  and  I 
know  it.  I  have  no  hope,  should  I  become  too  much 
oppressed  by  lack  of  sleep,  except  to  follow  instruc 
tions,  and  cast  you  overboard  somewhere  below  Ken 
tucky  !  " 

"  You  ask  me  not  to  attempt  any  escape  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Why,  I  would  agree  to  as  much  as  that.  It  is,  as 
you  say,  a  matter  of  indifference  to  me  whether  I  leave 
the  boat  at  Cairo  or  at  some  point  farther  westward. 
Of  course  I  would  return  to  Washington  as  soon  as  I 
escaped  from  bondage." 

"  Excellent,  Madam !  Now,  please  add  that  you 
will  not  attempt  to  communicate  with  any  person  on 
the  boat  or  on  shore." 

"  No ;  that  I  will  not  agree  to  as  a  condition." 

"  Then  still  you  leave  it  very  hard  for  me." 

She  only  smiled  at  him  again,  her  slow,  deliberate 
smile ;  yet  there  was  in  it  no  trace  of  hardness  or 
sarcasm.  Keen  as  her  mind  assuredly  was,  as  she 
smiled  she  seemed  even  younger,  perhaps  four  or  five 
and  twenty  at  most.  With  those  little  dimples  now 
rippling  frankly  into  view  at  the  corners  of  her  mouth, 
she  was  almost  girlish  in  her  expression,  although  the 

15 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

dark  eyes  above,  long-lashed,  eloquent,  able  to  speak 
a  thousand  tongues  into  shame,  showed  better  than 
the  small  curving  lips  the  well-poised  woman  of  the 
world. 

Captain  Edward  Carlisle,  soldier  as  he  was,  mar 
tinet  as  he  was,  felt  a  curious  sensation  of  helpless 
ness  seize  upon  him  as  he  met  her  steady  gaze,  her 
alluring  smile;  he  could  not  tell  what  this  prisoner 
might  do.  He  cursed  the  fate  which  had  assigned 
such  a  duty,  cursed  especially  that  fate  which  forced 
a  gallant  soldier  to  meet  so  superb  a  woman  as  this 
under  handicap  so  hard.  For  almost  the  first  time 
since  they  had  met  they  were  upon  the  point  of 
awkwardness.  Light  speech  failed  them  for  the 
moment,  the  gravity  of  the  situation  began  to  come 
home  to  both  of  them.  Indeed,  who  were  they? 
What  were  they  to  the  public  under  whose  notice 
they  might  fall  —  indeed,  must  fall  ?  There  was  no 
concealing  face  and  figure  of  a  woman  such  as  this; 
no,  not  in  any  corner  of  the  world,  though  she  were 
shrouded  in  oriental  veil.  Nay,  were  she  indeed  tied 
in  a  sack  and  flung  into  the  sea,  yet  would  she  arise 
to  make  trouble  for  mankind  until  her  allotted  task 
should  be  complete!  How  could  they  two  answer 
any  question  which  might  arise  regarding  their  er 
rand,  or  regarding  their  relations  as  they  stood  here 
at  the  gateway  of  the  remoter  country  into  which  they 
were  departing?  How  far  must  their  journey  together 
continue?  What  would  be  said  regarding  them? 

Carlisle  found  it  impossible  to  answer  such  qties- 

16 


tt-UGMt 


*  • 

. 


A    leader  this  man   might  be,    a  poor  follower  always 


A  LADY  IN  COMPANY 

tions.  She  herself  only  made  the  situation  the  more 
difficult  with  her  high-headed  defiance  of  him. 

Hesitating,  the  young  officer  turned  his  gaze  over 
the  wide  dock,  now  covered  with  hurrying  figures, 
with  massed  traffic,  with  the  confusion  preceding  the 
departure  of  a  river  boat.  Teams  thundered,  carts 
trundled  here  and  there,  shoutings  of  many  minor 
captains  arose.  Those  who  were  to  take  passage  on 
the  packet  hurried  forward  to  the  gangway,  so  oc 
cupied  in  their  own  affairs  as  to  have  small  time  to 
examine  their  neighbors.  The  very  confusion  for  the 
time  seemed  to  afford  safety.  Carlisle  was  upon  the 
point  of  drawing  a  long  breath  of  relief;  but  even  as 
he  turned  to  ask  his  companion  to  accompany  him 
aboard  the  boat  he  caught  sight  of  an  approaching 
figure  which  he  seemed  to  recognize.  He  would  have 
turned  away,  but  the  keen-witted  woman  at  his  side 
followed  his  gaze  and  paused.  There  approached 
these  two  now,  hat  in  hand,  a  gentleman  who  evidently 
intended  to  claim  acquaintance. 

This  new-comer  was  a  man  who  in  any  company 
would  have  seemed  striking.  In  complexion  fair,  and 
with  blue  or  gray  eyes,  he  was  tall  as  any  Viking,  as 
broad  in  the  shoulder.  He  was  smooth-faced,  and  his 
fresh  skin  and  well-developed  figure  bespoke  the  man 
in  good  physical  condition  through  active  exercise, 
yet  wdl  content  with  the  world's  apportionment. 
His  limbs  were  long,  his  hands  bony  and  strong. 
His  air,  of  self-confident  assurance,  seemed  that  of  a 
man  well  used  to  having  his  own  way.  His  forehead 

17 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

was  high  and  somewhat  rugged.  Indeed,  all  his  fea 
tures  were  in  large  mold,  like  the  man  himself,  as 
though  he  had  come  from  a  day  when  skin  garments 
made  the  proper  garb  of  men.  As  though  to  keep  up 
this  air  of  an  older  age,  his  long  fair  hair  was  cut 
almost  square,  low  down  on  the  neck,  as  though  he 
were  some  Frank  fresh  from  the  ancient  forests. 
Over  the  forehead  also  this  square  cut  was  affected, 
so  that,  as  he  stood,  large  and  confident,  not  quite 
outre,  scarce  eccentric,  certainly  distinguished  in 
appearance,  he  had  a  half -savage  look,  as  though 
ignorant  or  scornful  of  the  tenderer  ways  of  civiliza 
tion.  A  leader  this  man  might  be,  a  poor  follower 
always. 

Yet  the  first  words  he  uttered  showed  the  voice  and 
diction  of  a  gentleman.  "  My  dear  Captain,"  he  be 
gan,  extending  his  hand  as  he  approached,  "  I  am  in 
deed  charmed !  What  a  delight  to  see  you  again  in 
our  part  of  the  world !  I  must  claim  the  pleasure  of 
having  met  you  once  —  two  years  ago,  in  St.  Louis. 
Are  you  again  on  your  way  to  the  frontiers  ?  " 

The  tone  of  inquiry  in  his  voice  was  just  short  of 
curious,  indeed  might  have  been  called  expectant. 
His  gaze,  admiring  yet  polite,  had  not  wholly  lost 
opportunity  to  list  the  attractions  of  this  lady,  whose 
name  had  not  yet  been  given  him. 

The  gentleman  accosted  declined  to  be  thus  defi 
nite;  adding  only,  after  the  usual  felicitations,  "Yes, 
we  are  going  down  the  river  a  little  way  on  the 
Vernon  here." 

18 


HE   STILL  BOWED,    WITH    RESPECTFUL   GLANCES 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  For  some  distance  ?  " 

"  For  quite  a  distance." 

"At  least,  this  is  not  your  first  journey  down  our 
river?" 

"  I  wish  it  might  be  the  last.  The  railway  is  open 
ing  up  a  new  world  to  us.  The  stage-coach  is  a  thing 
of  the  past." 

"  I  wish  it  might  be,  for  me !  "  rejoined  the  stranger. 
"  Unfortunately,  I  am  obliged  to  go  West  from  here 
over  the  National  Road,  to  look  at  some  lands  I  own 
out  in  Indiana.  I  very  much  regret  — 

There  was  by  this  time  yet  more  expectancy  in  his 
voice.  He  still  bowed,  with  respectful  glances  bent 
upon  the  lady.  No  presentation  came,  although  in  the 
easy  habit  of  the  place  and  time,  such  courtesy  might 
perhaps  have  been  expected.  Why  this  stiffness 
among  fellow  travelers  on  a  little  river  packet? 

The  tall  man  was  not  without  a  certain  grave 
audacity.  A  look  of  amusement  came  to  his  face  as 
he  gazed  at  the  features  of  the  other,  now  obviously 
agitated,  and  not  a  little  flushed. 

"  I  had  not  known  that  your  sister  — "  he  began. 

His  hand  thus  forced,  the  other  was  obliged  to 
reply :  "  No,  the  daughter  of  an  old  friend  of  mine, 
you  see  —  we  are  en  voyage  together  for  the  western 
country.  It  has  simply  been  my  fortune  to  travel  in 
company  with  the  lady.  I  present  you,  my  dear  sir, 
to  Miss  Barron.  My  dear  Miss  Barren,  this  is  State 
Senator  Warville  Dunwody,  of  Missouri.  We  are 
of  opposite  camps  in  politics." 

20 


A  LADY  IN  COMPANY 

The  tall  man  bowed  still  more  deeply.  Meantime, 
Josephine  St.  Auban  in  her  own  way  had  taken  in 
ventory  of  the  new-comer.  Her  companion  hastily 
sought  to  hold  matters  as  they  were. 

"  My  dear  Senator  Dunwody,"  he  said,  "  we  were 
just  passing  down  to  the  boat  to  see  that  the  luggage 
is  aboard.  With  you,  I  regret  very  much  that  your 
journey  takes  you  from  us." 

The  sudden  consternation  which  sat  upon  Dunwody's 
face  was  almost  amusing.  He  was  very  willing  to 
prolong  this  conversation.  Into  his  soul  there  had 
flashed  the  swift  conviction  that  never  in  his  life  had 
he  seen  a  woman  so  beautiful  as  this.  Yet  all  he 
could  do  was  to  smile  and  bow  adieu. 

"  A  fine  man,  that  Dunwody,  yonder,"  commented 
the  young  captain,  as  they  parted,  and  as  he  turned  to 
his  prisoner.  "  We'll  see  him  on  in  Washington 
some  day.  He  is  strengthening  his  forces  now  against 
Mr.  Benton  out  there.  A  strong  man  —  a  strong  one ; 
and  a  heedless." 

"  Of  what  party  is  he  ?  "  she  inquired,  as  though 
casually. 

"  What  a  man's  party  is  in  these  days,"  was  his 
answer,  "  is  something  hard  to  say.  A  man  like 
Dunwody  is  pretty  much  his  own  party,  although  the 
Bentonites  call  him  a  '  soft  Democrat/  Hardly  soft 
he  seems,  when  he  gets  in  action  at  the  state  capital 
of  Missouri  yonder.  Certainly  Dunwody  is  for  war 
and  tumult.  None  of  this  late  weak-kneed  compro 
mise  for  him !  To  have  his  own  way  —  that  is 

21 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Dunwody's  creed  of  life.  I  thank  God  he  is  not  going 
with  us  now.  He  might  want  his  own  way  with  you, 
from  the  fashion  of  his  glances.  Did  you  see?  My 
word ! "  Young  Carlisle  fumed  a  shade  more  than 
might  have  seemed  necessary  for  military  reasons. 

Josephine  St.  Atiban  turned  upon  him  with  her 
slow  smile,  composedly  looking  at  him  from  between 
her  long,  dark  lashes. 

"  Why  do  you  say  that?  "  she  inquired. 

"  Because  it  is  the  truth.     I  don't  want  him  about." 

"  Then  you  will  be  disappointed." 

"  Why  do  you  say  that  ?  Did  you  not  hear  him 
say  that  he  was  going  West  by  coach  from  here?  " 

"  You  did  not  give  him  time.  He  is  not  going  West 
by  coach." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  He  will  be  with  us  on  the  boat !  " 


CHAPTER  II 

THE    GATEWAY,     AND     SOME    WHO     PASSED 

WHEN  Captain  Edward  Carlisle  made  casual 
reference  to  the  "  weak-kneed  compromise,"  he 
simply  voiced  a  personal  opinion  on  a  theme  which 
was  in  the  mind  of  every  American,  and  one  regarded 
with  as  many  minds  as  there  were  men.  That  political 
measure  of  the  day  was  hated  by  some,  admired  by 
others.  This  man  condemned  it,  that  cried  aloud  its 
righteousness  and  infallibility;  one  argued  for  it 
shrewdly,  another  declaimed  against  it  loudly.  It 
was  alike  blessed  and  condemned.  The  southern 
states  argued  over  it,  many  of  the  northern  states 
raged  at  it.  It  ruined  many  political  fortunes  and 
made  yet  other  fortunes.  That  year  was  a  threshold- 
time  in  our  history,  nor  did  any  see  what  lay  beyond 
the  door. 

If  there  existed  then  a  day  when  great  men  and 
great  measures  were  to  be  born,  certainly  there  lay 
ready  a  stage  fit  for  any  mighty  drama  —  indeed, 
commanding  it.  It  was  a  young  world  withal,  in 
deed  a  world  not  even  yet  explored,  far  less  exploited, 
so  far  as  were  concerned  those  vast  questions  which, 
in  its  dumb  and  blind  way,  humanity  both  sides  of 
the  sea  then  was  beginning  to  take  up.  America 

23 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

scarce  more  than  a  half  century  ago  was  for  the  most 
part  a  land  of  query,  rather  than  of  hope. 

Not  even  in  their  query  were  the  newer  lands  of 
our  country  then  alike.  We  lay  in  a  vast  chance- 
medley,  and  never  had  any  country  greater  need  for 
care  and  caution  in  its  councils.  By  the  grace  of  the 
immortal  gods  we  had  had  given  into  our  hands  an 
enormous  area  of  the  earth's  richest  inheritance,  to 
have  and  to  hold,  if  that  might  be;  but  as  yet  we  were 
not  one  nation.  We  had  no  united  thought,  no  com 
mon  belief  as  to  what  was  national  wisdom.  For 
three  quarters  of  a  century  this  country  had  grown; 
for  half  a  century  it  had  been  divided,  one  section 
righting  against  another  in  all  but  arms.  We  spoke 
of  America  even  then  as  a  land  of  the  free,  but  it 
was  not  free;  nor  on  the  other  hand  was  it  wholly 
slave.  Never  in  the  history  of  the  world  has  there 
been  so  great  a  land,  nor  one  of  so  diverse  systems  of 
government. 

Before  these  travelers,  for  instance,  who  paused 
here  at  the  head  of  the  Ohio  River,  there  lay  the 
ancient  dividing  line  between  the  South  and  the  North. 
To  the  northwest,  between  the  Great  Lakes  and  the 
Ohio,  swept  a  vast  land  which,  since  the  days  of  the 
old  Northwest  Ordinance  of  1787,  had  by  national 
enactment  been  decreed  for  ever  free.  Part  of  this  had 
the  second  time  been  declared  free,  by  state  law  also. 
To  the  eastward  of  this  lay  certain  states  where 
slavery  had  been  forbidden  by  the  laws  of  the  several 
states,  though  not  by  that  of  the  nation.  Again,  far 

24 


THE  GATEWAY 

out  to  the  West,  beyond  the  great  waterway  on  one 
of  whose  arms  our  travelers  now  stood,  lay  the  vast 
provinces  bought  from  Napoleon;  and  of  these,  all 
lying  north  of  that  compromise  line  of  thirty-six  de 
grees,  thirty  minutes,  agreed  upon  in  1820,  had  been 
declared  for  ever  free  by  national  law.  Yet  beyond 
this,  in  the  extreme  northwest,  lay  Oregon,  fought 
through  as  free  soil  by  virtue  of  the  old  Northwest 
Ordinance,  the  sleeping  dog  of  slavery  being  evaded 
and  left  to  lie  when  the  question  of  Oregon  came  up. 
Along  the  Pacific,  and  south  of  Oregon,  lay  the  new 
empire  of  California,  bitterly  contended  over  by  both 
sections,  but  by  her  own  self-elected  state  law  declared 
for  ever  free  soil.  Minnesota  and  the  Dakotas  were 
still  unorganized,  so  there  the  sleeping  dog  might  lie, 
of  course. 

To  the  south  of  that  river  on  which  our  voyagers 
presently  were  to  take  ship,  lay  a  section  comprising 
the  southern  states,  in  extent  far  larger  than  all  the 
northern  states,  and  much  stronger  in  legislative 
total  power  in  the  national  halls  of  Congress.  Here 
slavery  was  maintained  by  laws  of  the  states  them 
selves.  The  great  realm  of  Texas,  long  coveted  by 
the  South,  now  was  joined  to  the  ranks  of  the  slave- 
holding  states,  by  virtue  of  a  war  of  somewhat 
doubtful  justice  though  of  undoubted  success.  Above 
Texas;  and  below  the  line  of  thirty-six  degrees,  thirty 
minutes,  lay  a  portion  of  what  was  known  as  the  In 
dian  country,  where  in  1820  there  had  been  made  no 
prohibition  of  slavery  by  the  national  government. 

25 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Above  the  line  of  thirty-six  degrees,  thirty  minutes, 
there  thrust  up  a  portion  of  Texas  which  had  no  law  at 
all,  nor  had  it  any  until  a  very  recent  day,  being  known 
under  the  title  of  "  No  Man's  Land."  Yet  on  to  the 
westward,  toward  free  California,  lay  a  vast  but 
supposedly  valueless  region  where  cotton  surely 
would  not  grow,  that  rich  country  now  known  as  Utah, 
Nevada,  Arizona  and  New  Mexico.  This  region,  late 
gained  by  war  from  Mexico,  soon  to  be  increased  by 
purchase  from  Mexico  on  the  South,  was  still  of  inde 
terminate  status,  slavery  not  being  prohibited  but  per 
mitted,  by  federal  action,  although  most  of  this 
territory  had  been  free  soil  under  the  old  laws  of 
Mexico.  Moreover,  as  though  sardonically  to  com 
plicate  all  these  much-mingled  matters,  there  thrust 
up  to  the  northward,  out  of  the  permitted  slavery 
region  of  the  South,  the  state  of  Missouri,  quite  above 
the  fateful  line  of  thirty-six  degrees,  thirty  minutes, 
where  slavery  was  permitted  both  by  federal  and  state 
enactment. 

Men  spoke  even  then,  openly  or  secretly,  of  dis 
union  ;  but  in  full  truth,  there  had  as  yet  been  no  actual 
union.  In  such  confusion,  what  man  could  call  un 
wise  a  halting-time,  a  compromise?  A  country  of 
tenures  so  mixed,  of  theories  so  diverse,  could  scarcely 
have  been  called  a  land  of  common  government.  It 
arrogated  to  itself,  over  all  its  dominion,  the  title  of 
a  free  republic,  yet  by  its  own  mutual  covenant  of 
national  law,  any  owner  of  slaves  in  the  southern 
states  might  pursue  what  he  called  his  property  across 

26 


THE  GATEWAY 

.the  dividing  line,  and  invoke,  in  any  northern  state, 
the  support  of  the  state  or  national  officers  to  assist 
him  in  taking  back  his  slaves.  As  a  republic  we  called 
ourselves  even  then  old  and  stable.  Yet  was  ever  any 
country  riper  for  misrule  than  ours?  Forgetting  now 
what  is  buried,  the  old  arguments  all  forgot,  that  most 
bloody  and  most  lamentable  war  all  forgot,  could  any 
mind,  any  imagination,  depict  a  situation  more  rife 
with  tumult,  more  ripe  for  war  than  this?  And  was 
it  not  perforce  an  issue,  of  compromise  or  war;  of 
compromise,  or  a  union  never  to  be  consummated  ? 

Yet  into  this  heterogeneous  region,  from  all  Europe, 
itself  convulsed  with  revolution,  Europe  just  begin 
ning  to  awaken  to  the  doctrine  of  the  rights  of  human 
ity,  there  pressed  westward  ever  increasing  thousands 
of  new  inhabitants  —  in  that  current  year  over  a  third 
of  a  million,  the  largest  immigration  thus  far  known. 
Most  of  these  immigrants  settled  in  the  free  country 
of  the  North,  and  as  the  railways  were  now  so  hur 
riedly  crowding  westward,  it  was  to  be  seen  that  the 
ancient  strife  between  North  and  South  must  grow 
and  not  lessen,  for  these  new-comers  were  bitterly  op 
posed  to  slavery.  Swiftly  the  idea  national  was  grow 
ing.  The  idea  democratic,  the  idea  of  an  actual  self- 
government  —  what,  now,  was  to  be  its  history  ? 

North  of  the  fated  compromise  line,  west  of  the 
admitted  slave  state  of  Missouri,  lay  other  rich  lands 
ripe  for  the  plow,  ready  for  Americans  who  had  never 
paid  more  than  a  dollar  an  acre  for  land,  or  for 
aliens  who  had  never  been  able  to  own  any  land  at  all. 

27 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Kansas  and  Nebraska,  names  conceived  but  not  yet 
born, —  what  would  they  be  ?  Would  the  compromise 
of  this  last  summer  of  1850  hold  the  balances  of 
power  even?  Could  it  save  this  republic,  still  young 
and  needy,  for  yet  a  time  in  the  cause  of  peace  and 
growth?  Many  devoutly  hoped  it.  Many  devoutly 
espoused  the  cause  of  compromise  merely  for  the  sake 
of  gaining  time.  As  neither  of  the  great  political 
parties  of  the  day  filled  its  ranks  from  either  section, 
so  in  both  sections  there  were  many  who  espoused,  as 
many  who  denied,  the  right  of  men  to  own  slaves. 
We  speak  of  slavery  as  the  one  great  question  of  that 
day.  It  was  not  and  never  has  been  the  greatest. 
The  question  of  democracy  —  that  was  even  then,  and 
it  is  now,  the  greatest  question. 

Here  on  the  deck  of  the  steamer  at  the  little  city 
of  Pittsburg,  then  gateway  of  the  West,  there  ap 
peared  men  of  purposes  and  beliefs  as  mixed  as  this 
mixed  country  from  which  they  came.  Some  were 
pushing  out  into  what  now  is  known  as  Kansas, 
others  going  to  take  up  lands  in  Missouri.  Some 
were  to  pass  south  to  the  slave  country,  others  north  to 
the  free  lands;  men  of  all  sorts  and  conditions,  many 
men,  of  many  minds,  that  was  true,  and  all  hurrying 
into  new  lands,  new  problems,  new  dangers,  new 
remedies.  It  was  a  great  and  splendid  day,  a  great  and 
vital  time,  that  threshold-time,  when  our  western 
traffic  increased  so  rapidly  and  assuredly  that  steamers 
scarcely  could  be  built  rapidly  enough  to  accommo- 

28 


THE  GATEWAY 

date  it,  and  the  young  rails  leaped  westward  at  a 
speed  before  then  unknown  in  the  world. 

Carried  somehow,  somewhither,  for  some  reason, 
on  these  surging  floods,  were  these  travelers,  of 
errand  not  wholly  obvious  to  their  fellows,  yet  of  such 
sort  as  to  call  into  query  alike  the  nature  of  their 
errand  and  their  own  relations.  It  is  easily  earned 
repetition  to  state  that  Josephine  St.  Auban's  was  a 
presence  not  to  be  concealed.  Even  such  a  boat  as 
the  Mount  Vernon  offered  a  total  deck  space  so 
cramped  as  to  leave  secrecy  or  privacy  well  out  of  the 
question,  even  had  the  motley  and  democratic  assem 
blage  of  passengers  been  disposed  to  accord  either. 
Yet  there  was  something  in  the  appearance  of  this 
young  woman  and  her  companion  which  caused  all 
the  heterogeneous  groups  of  humanity  to  make  way  for 
them,  as  presently  they  approached  the  gang-plank.' 

Apparently  they  were  not  unexpected.  The  ship's 
clerks  readily  led  the  way  to  apartments  which  had 
been  secured  in  advance.  Having  seen  to  the  luggage 
of  his  charges,  whom  he  disposed  in  a  good  double 
state-room,  the  leader  of  the  party  repaired  to  his  own 
quarters.  Tarrying  no  longer  than  to  see  his  own 
luggage  safe  aboard,  he  commanded  one  of  the  men 
to  fetch  him  to  the  office  of  the  captain. 

The  latter  gentleman,  busy  and  important,  dropped 
much  of  his  official  way  when  he  found  whom  he  was 
accosting.  "  This  is  quite  unexpected,  sir,"  he  began, 
removing  his  cap  and  bowing. 

29 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Captain  Rogers,"  began  the  other,  "  you  have  been 
advised  to  some  extent  of  my  plans  by  telegram  from 
Washington." 

The  captain  hesitated.  "  Is  this  with  the  lady's 
consent?  I  must  consider  the  question  of  damages." 

"  There  will  be  no  damages.  Your  owners  will  be 
quite  safe,  and  so  will  you." 

"Are  there  any  charges  of  any  kind  against — ?" 

"  That  is  not  for  you  to  ask.  She  is  under  my 
care,  and  must  not  disembark  until  I  say  the  word. 
You  will  kindly  give  her  a  place  at  my  table.  There 
must  be  no  idle  curiosity  to  annoy  her.  But  tell  me, 
when  shall  we  reach  the  mouth  of  the  river?  Is  it 
not  possible  to  save  some  time  by  avoiding  some  of 
the  smaller  stops?" 

"  But  our  freight,  our  passengers  —  The  captain 
passed  a  hand  across  his  brow,  much  perplexed.  The 
other  showed  a  sudden  firmness. 

"  My  errand  demands  secrecy  and  speed  alike. 
There  must  be  no  communication  between  this  boat  and 
the  shore,  so  far  as  this  young  lady  is  concerned. 
Meantime,  if  all  is  ready,  it  would  please  me  mightily 
if  we  could  start." 

The  captain  pulled  a  bell  rope.  "  Tell  the  mate  to 
cast  off,"  he  said  to  the  man  who  answered.  An  in 
stant  later  the  hoarse  boom  of  .the  boat's  whistles 
roared  out  their  warning.  There  came  a  crush  of 
late-comers  at  the  gangway.  Shouts  arose;  deck 
hands  scrambled  with  the  last  packages  of  freight ;  but 
presently  the  staging  was  shipped  and  all  the  lines  cast 

30 


THE  CAPTAIN    PULLED  A  BELL  ROPE 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

free.  Churning  the  stained  waters  into  foam  with  her 
great  paddles,  the  Mount  Vernon  swung  slowly  out 
into  the  narrow  stream. 

"  Now,  Captain  Rogers,"  went  on  Captain  Carlisle, 
tersely,  "tell  me  who's  aboard;"  and  presently  he 
began  to  ponder  the  names  which,  in  loose  fashion, 
the  clerk  assembled  from  his  memory  and  his  personal 
acquaintance. 

"  Hm,  Hm ! "  commented  the  listener,  "  very  few 
whom  I  know.  Judge  Clayton  from  the  other  side, 
below  Cairo.  State  Senator  Jones,  from  Belmont  — " 

"You  know  Mr.  Jones?  Old  'Decline  and  Fall' 
Jones?  He  never  reads  any  book  excepting  Gibbon's 
Decline  and  Fall  of  the  Roman  Empire.  Always 
declines  a  drink  when  offered,  but  he's  sure  to  fall  a 
moment  later !  "  Thus  the  smiling  clerk. 

"  Well,  I  may  see  Mr.  Jones,  possibly  Judge  Clay 
ton.  There's  no  one  else."  He  seemed  not  dissatis 
fied. 

Alas !  for  human  calculations  and  for  human  hopes ! 
Even  as  he  left  the  captain's  room  to  ascend  the  stair, 
he  met  face  to  face  the  very  man  whose  presence  he 
least  desired. 

"  Dunwody !  "  he  exclaimed. 

The  gentleman  thus  addressed  extended  a  hand. 
"  I  see  you  are  safe  aboard.  Myself,  too,  I  am  very 
glad."  ' 

"  I  thought  you  said  you  were  going  — 

"  I  was,  but  I  changed  my  mind  at  the  last  moment. 
It  is  far  more  comfortable  going  down  by  boat  than  it 

32 


THE  GATEWAY 

is  by  stage.  Then,  the  thought  of  the  pleasure  of 
your  society  on  the  journey — "  He  was  smiling, 
rather  maliciously. 

"  Yes,  yes,  of  course !  "  somewhat  dismally. 

"  But  now,  to  be  frank  with  you,  you  don't  seem 
altogether  happy.  Why  do  you  want  to  be  rid  of  me? 
What  harm  have  I  done?"  smiled  Dunwody. 

"Oh,  my  dear  sir!" 

"  May  not  one  change  his  mind  if  he  likes?  " 

"  My  dear  sir,  there  is  no  argument  about  that." 

"  Certainly  not !  The  only  argument  is  on  the  pre 
vious  question  -  When  are  you  going  to  introduce 
me  as  you  should,  to  that  extremely  beautiful  young 
lady  who  is  with  you  ?  " 

"  Good  God,  my  very  dear  sir!  " 

"  You  are  not  '  my  dear  sir  '  at  all,  so  long  as  you 
try  to  hoodwink  me,"  persisted  Dunwody,  still  smiling. 
"  Come,  now,  what  are  you  doing  here,  west  bound 
with  a  young  and  charming  person  who  is  not  your 
wife,  widow,  mother j  daughter,  fiancee  or  sister  — • 
who  is  not  — 

'  That  will  do,  if  you  please ! "  Carlisle's  hot 
temper  flamed  into  his  freckled  face. 

"Why  so  touchy?" 

"  It  is  within  a  man's  rights  to  choose  his  own 
company  and  his  own  ways.  I  am  not  accountable, 
except  ^as  I  choose." 

The  other  man  was  studying  him  closely,  noting  his 
flush,  his  irritation,  his  uneasiness.  "  But  what  I  am 
saying  now  is  that  it  is  cruel,  unusual,  inhuman  and  un- 

33 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

constitutional  to  be  so  selfish  about  it.  Come,  I  shall 
only  relent  when  you  have  shown  yourself  more  kind. 
For  instance,  in  the  matter  of  her  table  in  the  dining- 
room — " 

"  The  lady  has  expressed  a  desire  to  remain  quite 
alone,  my  dear  sir.  I  must  bow  to  her  will.  It  is 
her  privilege  to  come  and  go  as  she  likes." 

"  She  may  come  and  go  as  she  likes?  "  queried  Dun- 
wody,  still  smiling.  There  was  a  look  on  his  face 
which  caused  Carlisle  suddenly  to  turn  and  examine 
him  sharply. 

"  Naturally." 

"  Without  your  consent,  even  ?  " 

"  Absolutely  so." 

"  Then  why  should  she  have  sent  me  this  little 
message  ?  "  demanded  Dunwody  suddenly.  He  pre 
sented  a  folded  bit  of  paper,  snapping  it  on  the  back 
with  a  ringer. 

A  still  deeper  flush  spread  over  the  young  officer's 
telltale  face.  He  opened  and  read:  "If  you  care  to 
aid  a  woman  who  is  in.  trouble,  come  to  me  at  room  19 
when  you  can." 

"  When  did  you  receive  this  ?  "  he  demanded.  "  By 
God !  "  he  added,  to  himself,  "  she  did  it,  too !  " 

"  Within  the  moment.     Her  maid  brought  it." 

"  You  didn't  have  this  before  you  came  on  board 
—  but  of  course,  that  wasn't  possible." 

Dunwody  looked  at  him  keenly.  '*  You  have  just 
heard  me,"  he  said.  "  No,  I  don't  deny  there  are 
some  things  here  which  I  can't  understand.  You  are 

34 


THE  GATEWAY 

covering  up  something,  my  dear  Captain,  of  course, 
but  just  what  I  do  not  know.  Your  station  in  life, 
your  presence  in  this  country,  so  far  from  home !  — 
He  smiled  now  in  a  way  which  his  antagonist  con 
sidered  sinister.  Yet  what  defense  could  be  made 
without  exposing  secrets  which  were  not  his  to  un 
cover  ? 

"  Come,"  went  on  Dunwody,  "  let's  be  frank  about 
it.  You  may  trust  me,  of  course.  But  —  neither 
sister,  wife,  nor  servant  —  could  you  blame  any  man, 
especially  any  man  who  had  a  direct  message  like  this, 
for  wanting,  or,  say,  even  demanding  a  meeting? 
Haven't  I  the  right  ?  Come,  now !  " 

Carlisle  made  no  immediate  answer,  and  was  about 
to  turn  on  his  heel,  finding  it  hard  to  restrain  himself. 
He  paused,  however. 

"  Very  good,  then.  To  show  how  little  you  know 
me,  and  how  much  you  wrong  both  this  lady  and  my 
self,  you  shall  meet  her,  as  you  say.  Not  that  you 
have  earned  the  right." 


35 


CHAPTER  III 

THE    QUESTION 

THE  Mount  Vernon,  favored  by  a  good  stage 
of  water,  soon  cleared  the  narrow  Monongahela 
channel,  passed  the  confluence,  and  headed  down  un 
der  full  steam,  all  things  promising  well  for  a  speedy 
and  pleasant  run.  The  sky  was  blue  and  cloudless, 
and  the  air  fresh  with  the  tang  of  coming  autumn. 
Especially  beautiful  were  the  shores  which  they  now 
were  skirting.  The  hues  of  autumn  had  been  shaken 
down  over  mile  after  mile  of  wide  forest  which  ap 
peared  in  a  panorama  of  russet  and  gold  and  red,  to 
grow  the  more  resplendent  when  they  should  arrive  op 
posite  the  high  bluffs  which  line  the  stream  almost  to 
the  town  of  Wheeling. 

Below  these  upper  reaches,  then  the  least  settled 
and  wildest  portion  of  the  country  along  the  Ohio, 
the  river  flattened  and  widened,  the  current  becoming 
more  gentle,  and  the  shores,  though  not  yet  wholly 
cleared  of  their  forests,  presenting  here  and  there 
scenes  of  rural  rather  than  of  savage  beauty.  Civiliza 
tion  had  not  as  yet  taken  full  hold  along  this  rich  val 
ley.  The  old  town  of  Marietta,  the  cities  of  Louis 
ville  and  Cincinnati,  the  villages  huddled  at  mouths 

36 


THE  QUESTION 

of  such  rivers  as  came  down  from  the  Virginia  hills, 
or  the  larger  settlements  marking  points  near  the  de 
bouchments  of  slower  streams  like  the  Muskingum  and 
Wabash,  which  crossed  the  flatter  lands  beyond,  made 
the  chief  points  of  traffic  and  of  interest  in  those  days 
of  west  bound  travel. 

On  the  upper  deck  or  along  the  rails  of  the  lower 
deck,  many  passengers  were  gazing  out  at  the  vary 
ing  pictures  of  the  passing  shores.  Not  so  the  young 
officer,  erstwhile  accosted  as  jailer  of  a  woman,  later 
hinted  to  be  something  else  than  jailer.  With  eyes 
cast  down,  he  spent  most  of  his  time  pacing  up  and 
down  alone.  Yet  it  was  not  an  irresolute  soul  which 
reposed  beneath  the  half-frigid  exterior.  He  pres 
ently  arrived  upon  a  plan  of  action. 

The  public,  too,  had  its  rights,  he  concluded,  and 
the  woman  as  a  woman  had  her  rights  also  to  her 
good  fame.  He  must  not  harm  her  name.  Best  then, 
to  disarm  suspicion  by  playing  the  game  wholly  in  the 
open.  The  midday  meal  now  being  announced  by 
loud  proclamation  of  the  boat's  gong,  he  turned,  and 
soon  rapped  at  the  door  of  room  nineteen. 

Jeanne,  the  tearful  but  faithful  maid  who  shared  her 
mistress'  fortunes,  by  this  time  had  done  what  she 
could  to  mend  her  lady's  appearance.  The  traces  of 
travel  had  been  quite  removed,  by  virtue  of  the  con 
tents  of  such  valises  as  they  had  with  them.  Good 
health  and  youth,  as  well  as  good  courage,  fought  for 
Josephine  St.  Auban,  as  well  as  good  sense  and  a 
philosophy  of  travel  learned  by  experiences  in  other 

37 


THE  TRACES  OF  TRAVEL  HAD  BEEN  REMOVED 


THE  QUESTION 

lands.  If  indeed  she  had  not  slept,  at  least  her  face 
did  not  betray  that  fact.  Her  color  was  good,  her 
eye  was  clear.  Her  dark  hair,  brushed  low  over  the 
temples  in  the  fashion  of  the  day,  was  fresh  and  glossy. 
Moreover,  her  habiliments  were  such  as  to  cause  most 
of  the  feminine  occupants  of  the  boat  to  make  care 
ful  note,  when  she  had  accepted  Carlisle's  escort  and 
entered  the  dining-room.  She  walked  with  calm 
ness  to  the  table  reserved  for  her,  and  with  inclination 
of  the  head  thanked  him  as  he  arranged  her  chair  for 
her.  Thus  in  a  way  the  gauntlet  was  by  both  thrown 
down  to  all  present. 

Most  of  those  present  without  hesitation  showed 
their  interest.  The  hum  of  the  dingy  tables  slackened 
and  ceased.  A  score  of  women  frowned  at  a  score  of 
men  whose  glances  wandered  unduti fully.  Who  was 
she,  and  what?  That  question  certainly  passed  in  the 
minds  of  most  in  the  crowded  little  room.  Mean 
time,  Josephine  St.  Auban's  own  eyes  were  not 
unregardful. 

"  I  see  that  my  guess  was  quite  correct,"  she  said 
at  length,  smiling  full  at  her  guardian. 

At  once  he  caught  her  thought.  "  Oh,  about  Mr. 
Dunwody,"  he  assented,  assuming  a  carelessness  which 
she  read  through  at  once.  "  Yes,  I  met  him  —  a  while 
ago.  He  told  me  he  had  suddenly  decided  to  change 
his  plans  and  take  the  Vernon  down  the  river,  in 
stead  of  going  by  stage.  Very  natural  of  him,  too, 
I  should  say.  I  would  be  much  distressed  to  think 
of  myself  traveling  by  coach,  even  in  weather  pleasant 

39 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

as  this.     He  has  keen  eyes,  though,  has  he  not?"  he 
added  resentfully. 

"  That  is  to  say  — " 

"  So  hard  hit  that  he  threatens  a  duel  or  worse  if 
I  do  not  at  once  further  his  desire  to  pursue  his  ac 
quaintance.  It's  not  myself  he's  so  eager  to  meet. 
He  has  no  love  for  me,  that's  sure,  long  ago." 

"  Indeed  ?  "  She  kept  her  eyes  fixed  on  her  plate. 
If  a  slight  flush  tinged  her  cheek  it  scarce  was  visible. 
"  Is  that  all  ?  "  she  asked  at  length. 

"  Madam,  you  yourself  could  best  answer  your  own 
question."  He  looked  at  her  keenly,  not  showing  his 
case ;  not  telling  her  that  Dunwody  had  shown  him  her 
hasty  note.  Not  the  flicker  of  an  eyelash  betrayed 
her  own  thought.  Surely,  she  had  courage.  Surely, 
she  meant  trouble. 

"How  delightful!"  she  resumed  at  length  calmly. 
"  Not  that  I  weary  of  your  company,  sir ;  but  I  told 
you  my  parole  was  ended  when  we  reached  the  boat. 
Suppose,  now,  I  should  stand  up  here  and  cry  out 
that  I  am  being  restrained  of  my  liberty.  .What  would 
be  the  result?" 

"  I  should  be  hung  at  the  yard-arm  instantly !  I 
should  be  lynched.  Dunwody  would  come  in  the  lead, 
crashing  over  the  tables.  I  fear  Dunwody,  even  bear 
ing  a  rope,  as  we  used  to  say  —  in  Virgil,  was  it?  " 

"  Admirable !  Now,  since  that  is  true,  suppose  you 
and  I  make  some  sort  of  terms!  I'm  tired  of  being 
jailed,  even  in  a  traveling  jail.  I  told  you  fairly  I 
should  try  to  escape;  and  so  I  shall." 

40 


THE  QUESTION 

He  needed  no  second  look  to  catch  the  resolution 
in  her  glance.  "  Our  game  is  somewhat  desperate, 
Madam,  I  admit,"  said  he,  "  I  scarcely  know  whether 
you  are  in  my  hands  or  I  in  yours.  As  I  have  already 
given  you  consideration,  let  us  hope  you  will  do  as 
much  for  me,  remembering  at  least  the  delicacy  of  my 
position.  I'm  under  orders;  and  I'm  responsible  for 
you." 

"Yes?"  she  rejoined.  "Now,  as  to  what  I  sug 
gest,  it  is  this :  You  shall  leave  the  boat  at  Louis 
ville  or  Cincinnati.  Your  errand  is  already  sufficiently 
well  done.  You  have  got  me  out  of  Washington. 
Suppose  we  set  Cincinnati  as  the  last  point  of  our 
common  journey?  " 

"  But  what  then  for  you,  Madam  ?  " 

"  As  to  that,  I  can  not  tell.  Why  should  you  care? 
Do  not  be  concerned  over  details.  You  have  brought 
me  into  this  situation.  I  must  escape  from  it  in  my 
own  way." 

"  You  sting  me  deeply.  I've  had  to  do  this,  just 
as  an  executioner  may  have  to  cut  off  a  head;  but  a 
thousand  times  I  ask  your  pardon.  A  thousand  times 
you,  yourself,  have  made  me  ashamed.  Come,  when 
we  part,  shall  it  not  be  as  friends  ?  You  have  won  my 
respect,  my  admiration.  I  wish  I  were  entitled  to  your 
own.  You've  been  perfect.  You've  been  splendid." 

"Look,"  she  said,  without  raising  her  eyelids. 

He  turned.  Dunwody  was  making  his  way  toward 
them  among  the  tables. 

"  My  dear  Senator,"  said  Carlisle,  choking  down  his 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

wrath  as  the  Missourian  reached  them  and  bowed  his 
salutations,  "  I  have  the  greatest  pleasure  in  the  world 
in  keeping  my  promise  to  you.  I  am  delighted  to  have 
you  join  our  little  party  at  this  time.  You  remember 
the  Countess  -  -  I  would  say,  Miss  Barren  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  so  soon  forgotten,"  answered  Dun- 
wody.  His  commanding  eyes  still  sought  her  face. 
Beyond  a  slight  bow  and  one  upward  glance,  she  did 
not  display  interest;  yet  in  truth  a  sudden  shiver  of 
apprehension  came  into  her  heart.  This  was  a  differ 
ent  sort  of  man  she  now  must  endeavor  to  handle. 
What  was  it  that  his  straight  glance  meant? 

It  was  a  singular  situation  in  which  these  three 
found  themselves.  That  she  had  asked  the  aid  of  this 
new-comer  was  a  fact  known  to  all  three  of  them. 
Yet  of  the  three,  none  knew  precisely  the  extent 
of  the  others'  knowledge.  Dunwody  at  least  was 
polite,  if  insistent,  in  his  wish  to  learn  more  of  this 
mysterious  young  \voman  who  had  appealed  to  him 
for  aid,  yet  who  now  made  no  further  sign.  Who 
was  she?  What  sort  was  she?  he  demanded  of  him 
self.  God!  if  she  was  one  sort.  And  why  should 
she  not  be  that  sort?  Did  not  the  River  carry  many 
sorts?  Was  not  the  army  ever  gallant?  What  officer 
ever  hesitated  in  case  of  a  fair  damsel?  And  what 
fair  damsel  was  not  fair  game  in  the  open  contest 
among  men  —  that  old,  old,  oldest  and  keenest  of  all 
contests  since  this  hoary  world  began? 

"  I  am  sure  the  fatigue  of  the  journey  across  the 
mountains  must  have  left  you  quite  weary,"  he  ven- 

42 


JOSEPHINE  SHOWED  NO   SIGN   OF   PERTURBATION 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

ttired,  addressing  her.  "  There's  only  the  choice  of 
sleeping,  or  of  hanging  over  the  deck  rail  and  look 
ing  at  these  hills."  He  waved  a  hand  toward  a  win 
dow,  whence  might  be  seen  the  near-by  shores. 

Josephine  St.  Auban  showed  no  sign  of  perturba 
tion  as  she  answered :  "  Not  so  weary  as  busy.  The 
duties  of  an  amanuensis  leave  one  small  time  for 
recreation."  Her  face  was  demureness  itself. 

The  situation  assumed  swift  complications.  Car 
lisle  caught  his  cue,  with  alertness  fairly  to  be  called 
brilliant.  "  Yes,"  said  he,  "  the  young  lady  is  of 
foreign  education  and  family,  and  is  most  skilful  in 
these  respects.  I  should  find  it  difficult  to  carry  for 
ward  my  literary  work  without  her  able  assistance. 
It  is  a  boon  which  even  few  public  men  have  shared 
with  myself.  You  know,  I  am  in  the  West  in  view 
of  certain  writings."  He  virtuously  sat  erect,  with 
a  fine  air,  presently  pushing  back  his  chair. 

Dunwody  looked  from  one  to  the  other  in  perplexity. 
He  had  expected  to  find  a  woman  claiming  his  aid,  or 
rather  his  acquaintance  under  excuse  of  a  plea  for 
aid.  He  found  both  these  apparently  in  league  against 
him,  and  one  of  these  apparently  after  all  not  what  he 
had  thought !  His  face  flushed.  Meantime  Josephine 
St.  Auban  arose,  bowed,  and  left  them. 

When  the  two  men  found  themselves  alone,  Dun 
wody,  for  a  time  lost  in  moody  silence,  at  length  broke 
out  into  a  peal  of  laughter.  "  Well,  human  nature 
is  human  nature,  I  suppose.  I  make  no  comment, 
further  than  to  say  that  I  consider  all  the  lady's  fears 

44 


THE  QUESTION 

were  groundless.  She  has  been  well  treated.  There 
was  no  need  to  call  for  my  aid.  The  army  is  hard  to 
defeat,  Captain,  and  always  was! 

"  I  had  not  myself  regarded  any  officer  in  the  light 
of  an  oppressor  of  the  distressed  amanuensis,"  he  went 
on.  "  But  come  now,  who  is  she  ?  You  started  to 
call  her  '  Countess.'  Since  when  have  countesses  gone 
into  secretarying?  Tut!  Tut!  and  again,  my  dear 
man,  Tut !  " 

"  Sir,"  replied  Carlisle,  "  I  recall  that  when  I  was 
a  youth,  some  of  us,  members  of  the  Sabbath-school 
class,  occasionally  would  ask  our  teacher  a  question 
on  the  Scriptures  which  he  could  not  answer.  In  that 
case  he  always  said,  '  My  dear  young  friends,  there 
are  some  things  which  are  not  for  man  to  know.'  ' 

"  I  accept  my  temporary  defeat,"  said  Dunwody 
slowly.  "  We'll  see.  But  come,  now,  Captain,  time 
is  passing  and  the  tables  are  yearning  for  trouble. 
The  army  is  distinguished  not  alone  in  love.  Draw- 
poker  hath  its  victories,  not  less  than  war.  I  told 
Jones  and  Judge  Clayton  and  one  or  two  others  that 
I  was  pining  for  a  little  game  of  draw.  What  do 
you  say?  Should  not  all  lesser  questions  be  placed 
in  abeyance  ?  " 

"  That,"  said  the  other,  "  comes  to  me  at  the  present 
moment  in  the  nature  of  an  excellent  compromise 
measure.  I  am  agreed !  " 

Ferrcing  thus,  neither  sure  of  his  adversary,  they 
now  made  their  way  to  one  of  the  larger  saloons,  which 
ordinarily  was  devoted  to  those  who  preferred  to 

45 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

smoke,  mayhap  to  chew,  perhaps  even  to  do  worse; 
for  the  door  leading  to  the  bar-room  of  the  boat  was 
near  at  hand.  A  darky  boy  stood  grinning,  arrang 
ing  a  table,  offering  cards  and  tobacco  in  a  tempting 
tray.  The  two  drew  up  leisurely  to  the  table,  and 
presently  were  joined  by  the  gentlemen  whom  Dun- 
wody  had  mentioned.  For  the  time,  then,  as  two  of 
the  four  reflected,  there  was  a  truce,  a  compromise. 


T 


CHAPTER  IV, 

THE    GAME 

HEY  made  a  group  not  uninteresting  as  they 
gathered  about  the  table  in  the  deck  saloon. 
The  youngest  of  the  four  received  the  deference  gen 
erally  accorded  the  uniform  he  wore,  and  returned  the 
regard  due  age  and  station  in  the  civilian  world.  For 
the  moment  rid  of  one  annoying  question,  he  was 
quite  his  better  self,  and  added  his  quota  in  the  pre 
liminary  badinage  of  the  game.  Across  the  table  from 
him  sat  Judge  Henry  Clayton  of  New  Madrid,  a  tall 
and  slender  gentleman  with  silky  white  mustaches  and 
imperial,  gentle  of  speech,  kindly  of  countenance,  and 
with  soft,  white  hands,  whose  long  fingers  now  idly 
raised  and  let  fall  some  of  the  parti-colored  tokens  of 
the  game. 

At  Clayton's  side,  Dunwody,  younger,  larger  and 
more  powerful,  made  something  of  a  contrast.  Both 
these  gentlemen  had  removed  their  coats  and  hung 
them  across  the  backs  of  chairs,  evidently  intending 
a  serious  session.  In  this  procedure  the  last  of  the 
party  now  followed  suit, —  the  Honorable  William 
Jones,  state  senator  from  Belmont,  Missouri.  Seat 
ing  himself,  the  latter  now  in  turn  began  shuffling  a 

47 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

pack  between  fingers  short,  puffy,  freckled  and  ex 
perienced.  His  stooped  shoulders  thrust  forward  a 
beardless  round  face,  whose  permanently  arched  eye 
brows  seemed  to  ask  a  continuous  question.  His 
short,  dark  hair  receded  from  a  high  forehead,  and 
a  thick  mid-body  betokened  alike  middle  age  and  easy 
living.  A  planter  of  the  back  country,  and  a  politi 
cian,  his  capital  was  a  certain  native  shrewdness  and 
little  else.  Of  course,  in  company  such  as  this,  and 
at  such  a  day,  the  conversation  must  drift  toward  the 
ever  fruitful  topic  of  slavery. 

"  No,  sir,"  began  the  Honorable  William  Jones,  in 
dulging  himself  in  the  luxury  of  tobacco  as  he  ad 
dressed  his  companions,  "  there  ain't  no  doubt  about 
it.  Us  Southerners  orto  take  all  that  new  country 
west  of  the  Missoury,  clean  acrost  to  the  Pacific." 

The  older  gentleman  smiled  at  him.  "  You  forget 
California,"  said  he.  "  She  is  already  in,  and  free  by 
her  own  vote." 

"  An'  a  crime  aginst  the  natural  rights  of  the  South ! 
Sir,  the  institution  of  slavery  is  as  old  as  history.  It 
is  as  old  as  the  first  settlement  of  agricultural  man 
upon  one  piece  of  ground.  It's  as  old  as  the  idea  of 
sovereignty  itself." 

Dunwody  gave  a  sly  wink  at  his  neighbor,  Judge 
Clayton.  The  latter  sank  back  in  his  chair  resigned. 
Indeed,  he  proceeded  to  precipitate  what  he  knew  was 
to  come. 

"  Sir,  England  herself,"  he  assented  gravely,  "  is 
the  oldest  of  slavers.  The  Saxons,  of  whom  we  speak 

48 


THEY   MADE  A  GROUP   NOT  UNINTERESTING 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

as  the  fathers  of  freedom,  were  the  worst  slave  mas 
ters  in  the  world  —  they  sold  their  very  kin  into  slav 
ery  at  times." 

The  Honorable  William  Jones  was  impatient  of  in 
terruption.  "  Comin'  to  our  own  side  of  the  sea, 
gentlemen,  what  do  we  find?  New  England  fore 
most  in  the  slave  trade !  New  York,  ownin'  onct  more 
slaves  than  Virginny  ever  did !  Georgia  was  fo'ced  to 
take  on  slave  labor,  although  she  had  tried  to  do  with 
out  it.  Every  race,  every  nation,  sirs,  has  accepted 
the  theory  of  slave  labor.  What  says  Mr.  Gibbon  in 
his  great  work  —  in  his  remarkable  work,  his  treasure 
house  of  learnin' —  The  Decline  and  Fall  of  the 
Roman  Empire  —  if  I  had  my  copy  here  I  could  put 
my  finger  on  to  the  very  place  where  he  says  it,  sirs. 
Why,  sirs,  in  the  Decline  and  Fall  —  I  could  show 
you  the  very  line  and  chapter  if  I  had  my  copy  here 
—  but  it's  up  in  my  room  —  I  could  show  you  the 
very  chapter  on  slavery,  by  the  Lord  Harry!  sir. 
where  Mr.  Foote,  of  the  state  of  Mississippi,  in  his 
last  speech  down  in  that  country,  sirs, — 

"  Now,  now,  Jones,"  Dunwody  raised  a  restraining 
hand  at  length,  "  just  sit  down.  Don't  go  get  your 
copy  of  the  Decline  and  Fall.  We're  willing  to  take 
some  of  that  for  granted.  Let's  get  at  the  pleasant 
task  of  taking  away  all  the  money  of  this  Free  Soil 
gentleman  from  the  North.  Non  politics,  non  re 
ligion,  sed  poker!  That's  why  we're  here." 

The  Honorable  William  Jones,  his  eloquence  thus 
dammed  up,  seemed  to  experience  a  sudden  restriction 

50 


THE  GAME 

of  the  throat,  and  coughed  once  or  twice.  "  I  will 
go  against  the  said  poker  just  onct,"  said  he;  "but, 
ahem!" 

"  I  would  suggest,"  said  Dunwody,  "  that  before 
we  tempt  the  gods  of  fortune  we  should  first  pour  a 
libation  for  their  favor.  What  do  you  say,  sir?  "  He 
turned  to  Jones  and  winked  at  Clayton. 

"  No,  no,  no,  sir !  No,  I  thank  you  just  as  much, 
but  I  never  drink  more  than  onct  in  a  day.  At  home 
it  varies.  On  some  days  I  like  my  liquor  in  the 
mornin',  some  days  just  before  bedtime,  especially  if 
there  is  any  malary  about,  as  there  is  in  most  of  my 
country  —  indeed,  I  think  there  is  some  malary  in 
these  Ohio  bottoms  up  here." 

"  That  fact  is  beyond  dispute,"  ventured  Judge 
Clayton  gravely.  "  In  short,  I  myself  feel  in  danger 
as  we  pass  through  these  heavy  forests." 

"  Quite  so,"  assented  the  Honorable  William  Jones. 
"  Sometimes  I  take  a  drink  in  the  mornin'  before 
breakfast,  especially  if  there  is  malary  around,  as  I 
said;  sometimes  before  dinner,  but  only  one;  or,  some 
times  right  after  dinner,  like  now.  Difference  among 
men,  ain't  there?  Some  say  it's  wrong  to  drink  be 
fore  breakfast.  Others  say  one  drink  then  goes  far 
ther*  n  six  later  in  the  day.  For  me,  now,  only  one 
drink  a  day.  Unless  —  that  is,  of  course  —  unless 
there  is  some  very  special  occasion,  such  as  - 

"  Such  as  that  offered  by  this  most  malarious  coun 
try,"  ventured  the  judge  gravely. 

"  Well,  yes,  since  you  mention  it,  on  such  an  occa- 
51 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

sion  as  this.  But  Tom  -  "  turning  to  the  colored  boy, 
"  Make  it  very  light ;  ver-r-ry  light.  Hold  on  thah, 
you  rascal,  not  too  light!  " 

The  Honorable  William  Jones  set  an  example  in 
which  he  was  joined  temperately  by  the  judge,  the 
others  contenting  themselves  in  completing  their  ar 
rangements  for  the  game.  The  tokens  were  dis 
tributed,  and  in  accordance  with  the  custom  of  the 
time,  the  table  soon  was  fairly  well  covered  with  money 
of  divers  sorts,  gold  coin,  a  lesser  amount  of  silver, 
bills  issued  by  many  and  divers  banks  in  this  or  that 
portion  of  the  country. 

Silence  fell  when  the  game  really  began.  The 
Honorable  William  Jones  at  first  ever  and  anon  threat 
ened  to  erupt  into  Roman  facts  and  figures,  but  chilly 
glances  made  his  answer.  Half  an  hour,  and  the  pass 
ing  of  time  was  forgot. 

At  first  the  cards  ran  rather  severely  against  the 
judge,  and  rather  in  favor  of  the  historian,  who  played 
"  the  said  poker  "  with  such  thoroughness  that  pres 
ently  there  appeared  before  him  a  ragged  pile  of  cur 
rency  and  coin.  Dunwody  and  Carlisle  were  losers, 
but  finally  Dunwody  began  to  edge  in  upon  the  ac 
cumulated  winnings  of  his  neighbor  on  the  right.  An 
hour  passed,  two  hours,  more.  The  boat  plowed  on 
down-stream.  Presently  the  colored  boy  began  to 
light  lamps.  There  came  to  the  faces  of  all  the  tense 
look,  the  drawn  and  lined  visage  which  is  concomitant 
to  play  for  considerable  stakes.  A  frown  came  on 

52 


THE  GAME 

the  florid  countenance  of  the  young  officer.  The  pile 
of  tokens  and  currency  before  him  lessened  steadily. 
At  last,  in  fact,  he  began  to  show  uneasiness.  He 
thrust  a  hand  into  a  pocket  where  supplies  seemed  to 
have  grown  scarce.  There  is  small  mercy  in  a  game 
of  poker  hard  played,  but  at  least  one  of  his  opponents 
caught  some  such  signal  of  distress.  Dunwody 
looked  up  from  his  own  last  hand. 

"  Don't  leave  us  just  yet,  friend,"  he  said.  "  You 
may  draw  on  me  for  all  you  like,  if  you  care  to  con 
tinue.  We  shall  see  that  you  get  a  ticket  back  home. 
No  man  can  ask  more  than  that !  " 

"  I  have  a  thousand  acres  of  cotton  land  'n  a  hunnerd 
niggers  waitin'  for  me  to  git  home,"  said  the  Honor 
able  William  Jones,  "  an'  by  hockey,  I  raise  the  ante 
to  twenty  dollars  right  hyer !  Are  you  all  comin'  in  ?  " 

"  I  have  at  least  that  much  left  in  my  locker,"  an 
swered  Judge  Clayton.  "  What  do  you  say  to  doub 
ling  that  ?  " 

"  Suit  me,"  said  Dunwody  briefly;  they  nodded  as 
sent  all  around,  but  the  younger  man  ventured: 

"  Suppose  I  sit  with  you  for  one  jack-pot,  gentlemen. 
The  hour  is  growing  late  for  me,  and  I  must  plead 
other  duties.  When  a  man  is  both  busy  and  broke, 
it  is  time  for  him  to  consider." 

"  No,  no,"  expostulated  the  Honorable  William 
Jones,  who  long  since  had  forgotten  his  rule  regarding 
one  drink  a  day.  "  No,  no,  not  broke,  and  not  busy ! 
Not  at  all!" 

53 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Dunwody.  "  Suppose  we 
make  it  one  more  jack-pot  all  around?  "  They  agreed 
to  this.  It  was  Judge  Clayton's  deal. 

"  Gimme  at  least  three,"  began  the  senator  from 
Belmont,  puckering  out  his  lips  in  discontent. 

"  Three  good  ones,"  consented  the  judge.  "  How 
many  for  the  rest  of  you?  " 

Dunwody  shook  his  head.  "  I'll  stand  as  it  is, 
please." 

The  judge  quietly  discarded  two  cards,  Carlisle  hav 
ing  done  the  same.  The  betting  now  went  about  with 
more  than  one  increase  from  the  Honorable  William 
Jones,  whose  eyes  apparently  were  seeing  large.  At 
last  the  "  call "  came  from  Carlisle,  who  smilingly 
moved  the  bulk  of  his  remaining  fortune  toward  the 
center  of  the  table.  Thereupon,  with  a  bland  and  sane 
smile,  the  Honorable  William  Jones  shook  his  head 
and  folded  his  cards  together.  The  judge  displayed 
queens  and  tens,  the  gentleman  opposite  queens  and 
deuces.  Dunwody  laid  down  his  own  hand,  which 
showed  aces  and  fours.  They  all  sighed. 

"  Gentlemen,  you  all  deserve  to  win,"  said  Dunwody. 
"  I  feel  like  a  thief." 

"  I  have  a  thousand  acres  of  niggers  'n  four  hunnerd 
cotton  lands,"  remarked  the  Honorable  William  Jones, 
amiably,  "  says  you  can't  do  it  again.  I  can  prove  it 
from  Mr.  Gibbon's  'Cline  'n  Fall" 

Judge  Clayton  rose,  laughing,  slapping  Dunwody 
on  the  shoulder  and  giving  an  arm  to  Mr.  Jones, 
whom  he  assisted  to  his  room. 

54 


CHAPTER  V 

SPOLIA    OPIMA 

DUNWODY  remained  seated  at  the  table,  care 
lessly   shuffling  the   cards  between   his   fingers. 
Once  in  a  while  he  cast  an  amused  glance  toward  Car 
lisle,  and  at  last  remarked,  as  though  continuing  an 
arrested  thought : 

"Amanuensis,  is  she?"  He  chuckled.  The  other 
ventured  no  reply. 

"  My  dear  sir,  at  your  age,  I  congratulate  you ! 
The  choice  of  an  amanuensis  is  one  very  important 
for  a  public  man,  not  less  so,  I  imagine,  for  a  mili 
tary  man.  Consider  the  need  — " 

"  I  think  that  will  do,  my  dear  Dunwody,"  rejoined 
Carlisle  at  length,  the  hot  blood  in  his  face. 
"  Frankly,  this  conversation  is  unwelcome  to  me." 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  I'll  do  with  you,"  exclaimed  the 
Missourian  suddenly.  "  I'll  bet  you  every  cent  in  this 
pile  of  my  winnings  here  that  that  young  lady  isn't 
your  amanuensis,  and  never  has  been.  I'll  bet  its  like 
that  she  is  no  relative  of  yours.  I'll  bet  it  all  over 
again  that  she  is  the  most  beautiful  woman  that  ever 
set  foot  on  a  boat  on  this  river,  or  ever  set  foot  on 
any  land.  Moreover,  I'll  bet  again  — 

"  You  might  win  a  certain  share  of  these  wagers," 
smiled  the  young  officer,  willing  to  pass  by  a  possible 

55 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

argument.  "  Moreover,  I  am  quite  willing  to  discuss 
arrangements  for  changing  the  term  of  servitude  of 
this  young  lady.  I've  been  doing  a  little  thinking 
about  one  or  two  matters  since  this  morning." 

"What!" 

"  Quite  right.  I  wouldn't  care  to  restrain  her  in 
any  way,  if  she  cared  to  travel  in  other  company.  Our 
work  is  well  advanced  toward  completion,  as  it  is." 

"  Yet  you  came  here  with  her?     Then  what — ?" 

"  Never  mind  what  the  relation  may  have  been,  my 
dear  fellow.  It  irks  me  now.  Especially  does  this 
sort  of  conversation  irk  me,  because  it  is  not  fair  to 
the  young  lady  herself." 

Dunwody  drew  in  his  breath  with  a  strong  sigh.  He 
sat  up  straight  in  his  chair,  then  rested  an  arm  on  the 
table,  as  he  leaned  forward  toward  the  other.  "  A 
young  lady  has  had  a  poor  protector  who  would  not 
protect  her  name.  Of  course !  " 

"  In  any  case,"  smiled  Carlisle,  forcing  the  frown 
away  from  his  face,  "  my  fortunes  need  mending  now. 
Do  you  think  I  could  continue  a  journey  down  the 
river  in  company  so  strong  at  cards  as  yours?  At  a 
later  time,  if  you  like,  I  will  endeavor  to  get  my  re 
venge." 

"  Suppose  you  have  it  now,"  said  Dunwody  calmly. 

"  Haven't  you  just  heard  me  say  I  haven't  the 
means  ?  " 

"  You  have  as  much  as  I  have." 

"  Tut !  tut !     I  don't  borrow  to  play  cards." 

"  You  do  not  need  to  borrow.     I  say,  your  stake 

56 


SPOLIA  OPIMA 

equals  mine,  and  we  will  play  at  evens,  too.  Come, 
deal  one  hand,  poker  between  two,  and  to  the  hilt." 

The  other  man  looked  at  him  and  gazed  at  the 
heaped  pile  of  coins  and  notes  which  lay  before  him. 
He  himself  was  no  pale-blooded  opponent,  nor  usually 
disposed  to  slight  the  opportunities  of  the  game.  "  I 
don't  understand,"  said  he  finally.  "  Certainly  I  am 
not  willing  to  pledge  my  land  and  '  niggers,'  like  our 
friend  from  Belmont  here.  Perhaps  my  fall  has  been 
hard  enough  not  to  tempt  me  to  go  on  with  my  sort 
of  luck.  Suppose  I  decline!  " 

"  You  don't  understand  me,"  said  Dunwody,  look 
ing  him  fair  in  the  face.  "  I  said  that  your  stake  can 
easily  be  equal  with  this  on  the  table.  I'll  play  you 
just  two  out  of  three  jack-pots  between  the  two  of  us. 
You  see  my  stake." 

"But  mine?" 

'  You  can  make  it  even  by  writing  one  name  — 
and  correctly  —  here  on  a  piece  of  paper.  Full  value 
-  yes,  ten  times  as  much  as  mine !  You  are  giving 
odds,  man !  " 

"  I  don't  understand  you." 

"  You  don't  want  to  understand  me.  Come,  now. 
You,  as  an  army  man,  ought  to  know  something  of 
the  history  of  poker  in  these  United  States.  Listen, 
my  friend.  Do  you  recall  a  certain  game  played  by  a 
man  higher  in  authority  —  younger  than  he  is  to-day 
—  a  game  played  upon  a  snowbound  train  in  the  North 
country  ?  Do  you  remember  what  the  stakes  were  — 
then?  Do  you  recall  that  that  man  later  became  a 

57 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

president  of  the  United  States  ?     Come.     There  is  fine 
precedent  for  our  little  enterprise." 

The  swift  flush  on  the  face  of  the  other  man  made 
his  answer.  Dunwody  went  on  mercilessly : 

"  He  played  then  much  as  you  do  now.  There  was 
against  him  then,  as  there  is  now  against  you,  a  man 
who  admired  not  so  much  just  one  woman  in  all  the 
world  as,  let  us  say,  one  particular  woman  then  and 
there  present.  Perhaps  you  remember  his  name  — 
Mr.  Parish  —  later  ennobled  by  the  German  govern 
ment  and  long  known  as  a  land  baron  in  New  York. 
Come!  Think  of  it!  Picture  that  snowbound  train, 
that  great  citizen,  and  Parish,  playing  and  playing, 
until  at  last  it  came  to  the  question  of  a  woman  — 
not  so  beautiful  as  this  one  here,  but  in  her  own  way 
shrewd,  the  same  sort  of  woman,  I  might  say  —  mys 
terious,  beautiful,  and  —  no,  don't  protest,  and  I'll  not 
describe.  You  remember  very  well  her  name.  It  was 
pleasant  property  not  so  long  ago  for  everybody. 
They  played  for  the  love,  not  for  the  hand,  of  that 
woman.  Parish  won  her.  Do  you  remember  now  ?  " 

The  younger  man  sat  looking  at  him  silently,  his 
face  now  grown  quite  pale.  "  I  am  unwilling,  sir,  to 
allow  any  man  to  mention  such  details  regarding  the 
past  life  of  my  commander-in-chief,  a  president  of  the 
United  States.  It  is  not  seemly.  My  profession 
should  free  me,  by  its  very  nature,  from  conversation 
such  as  this.  My  errand  should  free  me.  My  place 
as  a  gentleman  should  free  me,  and  her,  from  such  dis 
cussion.  It  must,  it  shall,  sir!" 


SPOLIA  OPIMA 

"  Forgive  me,"  said  Dunwody,  coloring.  "  Your 
rebuke  is  just.  I  ask  your  pardon  freely;  but  remem 
ber,  what  I  say  here  is  between  us  two,  and  no  one 
else.  Why  deny  yourself  the  luxury  of  remembering 
such  a  game  as  that?  It  was  a  man's  game,  and  well 
worth  the  playing.  Your  former  head  of  the  army, 
at  least,  lost;  and  he  paid.  The  other  won.  All 
Ogdensburg  can  tell  you  about  that  to-day.  They 
lived  there  —  together  —  Parish  and  the  woman,  till 
he  went  abroad.  Yes,  and  she  was  a  prisoner  there 
not  simply  for  a  short  time ;  she  lived  and  died  there. 
Whatever  Parish  did,  whoever  he  was,  he  never  loved 
any  other  woman  as  he  did  that  one.  And  by  the 
Lord !  when  it  comes  to  that,  no  other  woman  in  that 
town  ever  was  loved  more  than  she  by  everybody. 
Odd  creatures,  women,  eh?  Who  can  find  them  out? 
Who  can  weigh  them,  who  can  plumb  their  souls? 
But,  my  God!  who  can  do  without  them?  " 

Carlisle  made  no  answer,  and  Dunwody  went  on. 

"  She  had  political  intrigues  back  of  her,  just  as 
this  woman  here  has,  for  all  I  know.  But  one  lost  in 
that  game,  and  the  other  won.  I've  often  wondered 
about  that  particular  game  of  cards,  my  friend, — 
whether  after  all  she  loved  the  man  who  won  her, 
right  or  wrong, —  what  became  of  her, —  who  she 
\vas?  But  now,  tell  me,  was  not  our  drunken  friend 
right?.  Has  human  nature  changed  since  Rome? 
And  has  not  the  conqueror  always  ruled?  Have  not 
the  spolia  opima,  the  rarest  prizes,  always  been 
his?" 

59 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Carlisle  only  sat  silent,  looking  at  him,  pale  now, 
and  rigid.  He  still  made  no  comment. 

"  So  now  I  say,"  went  on  Dnnwody,  "  here  is  that 
same  situation,  twice  in  one  lifetime!  It's  ominous, 
for  somebody.  There  is  trouble  in  the  air,  for  some  or 
all  of  us.  But  I  say  I  offer  you  fair  play,  even,  man 
to  man.  I  ask  no  questions.  I  will  not  take  any  an 
swers,  any  more  than  those  two  would  have  allowed 
any,  that  day  on  the  train  there,  when  they  played, 
ten  years  or  more  ago.  That  was  a  foreign  woman. 
So  is  this,  I  think.  She  is  the  most  beautiful  woman 
I  have  ever  seen.  I  have  looked  her  in  the  face.  I 
shall  never  see  such  another  face  again.  Man,  I'm 
mad  over  her.  And  you've  just  said  you'd  loose  your 
hold  on  her,  whatever  it  is  —  for  her  sake.  By  God ! 
once  my  hold  was  on  her,  she  never  should  get  away 
again." 

"  What  do  you  propose  ?  "  asked  the  other  hoarsely. 

"  I  propose  only  to  offer  you  that  same  game  over 
again !  "  replied  Dunwody.  "  Man,  what  an  uncanny 
thing  this  is !  But,  remember  one  thing, —  no  matter 
what  comes,  I  shall  never  mention  our  meeting  here. 
I  am  not  your  keeper." 

"  Sir,"  broke  out  the  other,  "  you  embarrass  me 
unspeakably.  You  do  not  know  the  circumstances. 
I  can  not  tell  — " 

"  Pardon  me,  I  make  no  taunts,  and  I  have  said  I 
tell  no  tales.  But  my  word  of  honor,  man, —  I  will 
play  you, —  two  out  of  three,  to  see  —  who  takes  her." 
His  voice  was  low,  tense,  savage. 

60 


SPOLIA  OPIMA 

The  younger  man  sat  back  in  his  chair.  One 
knowing  his  tempestuous  nature  might  have  expected 
anger,  consternation,  resentment,  to  remain  on  his 
face.  On  the  contrary,  a  sudden  light  seemed  to  come 
into  his  countenance.  Suddenly  he  stifled  a  smile! 
He  passed  a  hand  across  his  brow,  as  though  to  assure 
himself.  It  was  not  so  much  confidence  or  resolu 
tion  as  half  deliberation  which  shone  in  his  eye  as  he 
cast  a  glance  upon  the  heap  of  money  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  table.  Yet  no  sordid  thought,  no  avarice 
was  in  his  gaze.  It  was  the  look  of  the  fanatic,  the 
knight  errant,  resolved  upon  deed  of  risk  or  sacrifice 
for  sake  of  a  woman's  wish ;  but  with  it  was  the  amuse 
ment  of  a  man  who  foresaw  that  difficulties  lay  ahead 
of  him  who  essayed  the  role  of  jailer  to  Josephine, 
Countess  St.  Auban.  What  now  passed  across  his 
countenance,  little  by  little,  therefore,  was  relief,  re 
laxation  from  a  strain,  a  solution  of  some  doubtful 
problem.  In  brief,  there  seemed  offered  to  him  now 
the  opportunity  to  terminate  an  errand  which  suddenly 
had  grown  distasteful  to  him  and  dangerous  both  to 
him  and  to  his  charge.  At  one  stroke  he  might  secure 
for  himself  riddance  of  the  company  of  an  embarrass 
ing  companion  who  already  had  served  notice  of  her 
intention  to  desert  him ;  and  might  also  keep  silent  this 
man,  whom  she  had  asked  for  aid.  As  for  him,  she 
would  take  his  measure  quickly  enough  if  he  pre 
sumed  in  any  way.  Would  not  the  purpose  of  his 
journey  have  been  accomplished,  might  not  he  him 
self  return  to  his  work,  would  not  each  of  these  three 

61 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

have  been  served  to  his  or  her  own  liking,  should  now 
the  suggestion  of  this  eager  man  be  accepted?  If  he 
won  at  the  cards,  why  then  —  if  he  lost  —  but  that  he 
resolved  not  to  do !  The  greatest  misfortune  possible, 
to  his  perplexed  soul,  was  that  the  cards  should  not 
be  against  him.  As  he  reflected  upon  these  things,  he 
hesitated.  It  was  but  to  gain  time. 

"  Senator  Dunwody,"  said  he,  at  length,  "  you  and 
I  are  from  different  parts  of  the  country  —  from  two 
different  worlds,  you  might  say.  You  believe  in 
slavery  and  the  extension  of  it  —  I  believe  in  just  the 
reverse.  I  would  sacrifice  my  professional  future,  if 
need  were,  in  that  belief."  The  other  nodded,  but  his 
eyes  did  not  waver. 

"  Very  good  !  Now,  I  want  to  say  to  you  this  much. 
The  young  lady  who  has  been  with  me  is  dangerous. 
She  is  an  abolitionist  of  the  strictest  sect.  She  is 
very  likely  an  European  revolutionist,  among  other 
things.  She  is  dangerous  as  such.  I  think  I  can  say 
this  much,  and  break  no  pledge  of  confidence." 

"  That  isn't  how  she  is  dangerous  to  me.  But  is 
that  the  crime  for  which  you  transport  her  for  life?  " 
smiled  the  other.  His  shot  came  so  close  that  his  com 
panion  raised  a  hand. 

"  I  don't  deny,  don't  explain,  don't  argue,"  he  re 
torted  curtly.  "  I  only  say  that  I  shall  be  willing  to 
part  with  her  services  and  turn  her  over  to  your  own 
care,  if  you  both  so  like.  We  know  she  has  appealed 
to  you  for  aid.  My  own  errand,  if  you  please,  is  near 
to  its  close.  It  has  been  — 

62 


SPOLIA  OPIMA 

"  Cut  the  cards,  man !  "  cried  the  Missourian.  It 
was  lucky  that  he  interrupted.  He  was  just  in  time 
to  prevent  the  other  from  making  the  mistake  of  saying 
what  was  the  truth  —  that  he  was  in  any  case  about 
to  leave  the  young  lady  to  her  own  devices,  and  by 
her  own  request.  The  game  which  he  most  valued 
now  was  not  on  the  table  before  him.  He  was  playing 
it  in  his  own  mind.  In  short,  duty  or  no  duty,  he  was 
resolved  to  end  the  role  of  jailer  and  prisoner,  for 
sake  of  the  prisoner  herself.  Let  others  attempt  the 
unpleasant  task  if  they  liked.  Let  others  condemn  if 
they  liked.  He,  Carlisle,  could  be  jailer  no  longer. 
Yet  he  deliberated  well  the  risk  he  ran. 

"  It  would  be  ruin  to  me  if  this  were  known,  Senator 
Dunwody,  and  of  that  you  are  perfectly  aware." 

"  I  know  that  as  well  as  you,  but  there  can  be  honor 
even  in  politics,  war,  or  —  love.  I  have  given  you  my 
word.  Deal !  " 

"  You  are  impatient.  You  rejoice  as  a  strong  man 
to  run  a  race,  my  dear  sir." 

"  I  do  run  a  race.  I  am  strong.  Play !  It  is  in  the 
cards  that  I  must  win." 

"  But  if  you  should  lose  ?  " 

"  I  shall  not  lose !  " 

His  insistence,  his  confidence,  almost  caused  the 
older  man  to  laugh.  "  No,  my  friend,"  said  he  to  him 
self,  "  you  shall  not  lose !  "  But  what  he  said  aloud 
was,  "  You  must  not  be  excited,  Dunwody.  You  may 
need  all  your  nerve.  I  thought  you  cooler  in  times  of 
stress." 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  You  don't  know  me.  I  don't  know  myself.  Per 
haps  it  is  ice  in  your  blood  —  I  don't  know, —  it's  fire 
in  mine." 

"  Very  well, —  I  hope  you  like  the  cards  I  have  given 
you."  But  there  was  no  ice  in  the  red  flush  on  Car 
lisle's  sanguine  face. 

"  Give  me  four  more,"  cried  the  Missourian,  fling 
ing  down  his  own  cards  with  hands  that  trembled. 

"  Quite  right,  sir,  you  shall  have  them.  But  how 
you  tremble !  I  wouldn't  have  so  poor  a  nerve  as 
yours  for  all  the  money  in  the  world,  my  dear  Senator. 
You  act  as  though  there  were  four  hundred  acres  of 
niggers  at  stake,  as  Mr.  Jones  would  say !  " 

"  Go  on!     You  don't  knoiv  what  there  is  at  stake." 

"  So,  now.  You  have  your  four  cards.  For  myself 
—  though  you  are  so  excited  you  wouldn't  notice  it  if 
I  did  not  call  your  attention  to  it  —  I  take  but  three. 
You  are  an  infant,  man.  See  that  you  be  not  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  the  enemy." 

They  looked  now  each  into  his  renewed  hand  of  five 
cards.  Dunwody  swept  a  stack  of  money  toward  the 
center  of  the  table.  "  A  thousand  dollars  against  one 
look  from  her  eye !  " 

"  My  dear  sir,"  rejoined  the  other  calmly,  "  you 
are  raised  to  the  extent  of  two  glances  —  one  from 
each  eye." 

"  Another  thousand  for  the  touch  of  her  glove." 

"  I  come  back.     You  shall  have  a  pair." 

"  A  thousand  more  to  hear  the  sound  of  her  step  — 
another  thousand  for  one  smile !  " 

64 


..... 


SPOLIA  OPIMA 

Carlisle's  voice  trembled,  but  he  forced  himself 
under  control.  "  My  dear  sir,  you  shall  have  all  you 
wish !  I  am  sure  if  she  could  see  you  now  she  herself 
would  be  disposed  to  smile.  You  do  not  yet  understand 
that  woman.  But  now,  suppose  that  the  betting  has 
gone  far  enough?  What  cards  have  you?  For  my 
self,  I  discover  that  I  have  drawn  four  kings.  I  trust 
that  you  have  four  aces  of  your  own." 

There  was  sincerity  in  this  wish,  but  Dunwody  an 
swered  gloomily :  "  You  gave  me  three  tens  and  a  pair 
of  fives,  with  what  I  held.  You  have  won  the  first 
round." 

He  dashed  a  hand,  and  cleared  the  square  of  matted 
hair  from  his  forehead,  which  now  was  beaded.  Red, 
florid,  full-blooded,  balked  in  his  eagerness,  he  looked 
as  savage  as  some  denizen  of  the  ancient  forest,  in 
pursuit  as  reckless,  as  ill-suited  with  ill-fortune. 

"  My  deal,"  said  he,  at  length,  in  a  voice  half  a 
growl.  And  later,  "  How  many?  " 

"  I  shall,  if  you  please,  require  but  one  card,"  was  the 
quiet  answer,  Dunwody  himself  required  two.  They 
sat  narrowly  eying  each  other,  although  there  was  in 
this  close  duel  small  advantage  for  either  except  in  the 
run  of  the  cards  themselves. 

"  It  is  perhaps  needless  for  us  to  waste  time,  since 
I  can  not  divide  my  stakes,"  smiled  the  younger  gentle 
man. 

Again  with  a  half  growl,  Dunwody  threw  down  his 
cards,  face  upward.  His  teeth  were  clenched,  all  his 
muscles  set,  all  his  attitude  strained,  tense, 

65 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  You  have  won,  my  dear  Senator !  I  failed  to  im 
prove  my  four  cards,  which,  it  is  true,  were  of  one 
color,  but  which  I  regret  to  say  still  remain  of  the 
one  color  and  of  no  better  company ! " 

"  It  is  even !  "  exclaimed  Dunwody.     "  Come !  " 

The  cards  went  around  once  more,  and  once  more 
the  officer  asked  for  a  single  card.  Once  again  he 
lost. 

Dunwody  drew  back  with  a  deep  sigh.  "  Look !  " 
he  said,  "  of  my  three  cards,  two  were  what  I  wanted 
—  aces,  aces,  man !  —  four  of  them !  By  every  token, 
I  have  won.  It's  fate !  " 

The  face  of  his  opponent  was  a  study.  His  eye 
brows  went  up  in  pleasant  expostulation  at  the  other's 
eagerness.  "  So,  then,"  said  he,  "  I  suppose  I  must 
pay  my  stake,  much  to  my  regret.  Ah !  how  fortune 
has  run  against  me  to-day.  And  so,  here  it  is, —  I 
write  her  name  for  you  once  more  —  this  time  her 
real  name,  so  far  as  any  in  America  know  it  —  thus, 
-  Josephine,  Countess  St.  Auban,  of  France,  of  Hun 
gary,  of  America,  abolitionist,  visionary,  firebrand. 
There,  then, —  though  I  think  you  will  find  the  matter 
of  taking  possession  somewhat  difficult  to  compass  — 
so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  she  is,  with  all  my  heart, 
yours  to  have  and  to  hold,  if  you  can!  My  duty  to 
her  is  over.  Yours  begins,  I  hope !  " 

Dunwody  found  no  speech.  He  was  pale,  and 
breathing  fast. 

Gravity  increased  in  the  other's  demeanor.  His 
face  now  looked  drawn,  weary.  "  I  beg,  my  dear  sir," 

66 


SPOLIA  OPIMA 

he  said,  "  nay,  I  entreat  and  command  you,  to  make 
all  gentle  and  kind  use  of  this  which  the  gods  have 
given  you.  I  confess  nothing  whatever,  except  that  I 
am  hungry  and  tired  to  extinction.  I  congratulate  the 
winner,  and  consider  myself  fortunate  to  be  allowed  to 
go  in  peace  to  my  own  place  —  penniless,  it  is  true,  but 
at  least  with  a  conscience  quite  clear."  The  frown  on 
his  face,  the  troubled  gaze  of  his  eyes,  belied  his  last 
words.  "  It's  no  part  of  my  conscience  to  coerce  a 
woman,"  he  added  defiantly.  "  I  can't  do  it  —  not 
any  longer." 

"  It  is  well  to  be  a  cheerful  loser,"  returned  Dun- 
wody,  at  last.  "  I  couldn't  blame  any  man  for  being 
coerced  by  —  her !  I  admit  that  /  am.  But  after  this, 
what  will  be  your  plans  ?  " 

"  I  purpose  leaving  the  boat  at  the  first  suitable 
stop,  not  farther  down  than  Louisville,  at  least.  Per 
haps  Cincinnati  would  be  yet  better.  By  the  fortunes 
of  war  you  will,  therefore,  stand  in  my  stead.  I've 
changed  my  mind,  suddenly.  I  told  the  young  lady 
that  we  would  continue  on  together,  even  beyond  Cairo. 
But  now  —  well,  to  the  victor,  as  Mr.  Marcy  has  said, 
belong  the  spoils.  Only,  there  are  some  titles  which 
may  not  be  negotiated.  A  quitclaim  is  by  no  means 
a  warranty.  You'll  discover  that."  He  smiled 
grimly. 

The  other  made  no  answer.  He  only  stood  to  his 
full  height  and  stretched  out  his  great  arms.  He 
seemed  a  figure  come  down  unchanged  from  some 
savage  day. 

67 


CHAPTER  VI 

THE   NEW    MASTER 

ALONE  in  her  state-room  all  these  hours, 
Josephine  St.  Auban  had  abundant  time  to  re 
flect  upon  the  singular  nature  of  her  situation.  At 
first,  and  very  naturally,  she  was  disposed  to  seek  the 
protection  of  the  boat's  officers,  but  a  second  thought 
convinced  her  of  the  unwisdom  of  that  course.  As 
to  this  stranger,  this  stalwart  man  of  the  West,  she 
had  appealed  to  him  and  he  had  made  no  sign.  She 
had  no  friend,  no  counselor.  A  feeling  of  inefficiency, 
of  smallness  and  helplessness,  swept  over  her.  For 
the  first  time  in  her  life  she  found  herself  hard  and 
fast  in  the  grasp  of  events  over  which  she  had  abso 
lutely  no  control.  She  was  prisoner  to  her  own  good 
fame.  She  dared  not  declare  herself.  She  dared  not 
cry  out  for  help.  None  would  believe  her  story. 
She  herself  did  not  fully  understand  all  the  circum 
stances  connected  with  her  unlawful  banishment  from 
the  capital  of  the  proudest  and  freest  republic  of  the 
world. 

It  was  while  still  in  this  frame  of  mind  that,  on 
the  day  following,  there  came  to  her  a  messenger 
bearing  the  card  of  Warville  Dunwody.  She  gazed 

68 


JOSEPHINE   ST.    AUBAN    HAD   ABUNDANT   TIME   TO   REFLECT 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

at  it  for  some  moments  undecided,  debating.  She  tried 
to  reason.  Had  she  trusted  rather  to  woman's 
vaticination,  matters  had  been  better  for  her.  What 
she  actually  did  was  to  summon  Jeanne  to  complete 
some  hurried  toilet  preparations.  Then  she  set  out 
to  meet  the  sender  of  the  card. 

There  was  no  occupant  of  the  saloon  excepting  one, 
who  rose  as  she  entered,  hesitating.  On  the  instant 
a  sudden  change  swept  over  Dumvody's  face.  Was 
it  at  first  assuredness  it  had  borne?  "  I  am  glad  that 
you  have  thus  honored  me,"  he  said  simply. 

"  It  is  much  pleasanter  to  move  about  as  one  may," 
she  answered.  "  But  where  is  our  friend,  Captain 
Carlisle,  this  morning?  Is  he  ill,  or  simply  unmind 
ful  of  one  so  unimportant  as  myself?  I  have  not 
heard  from  him." 

"  He  left  the  boat  last  night,"  answered  Dunwody 
gravely,  his  eyes  fixed  on  her  face. 

"  Left  the  boat  —  he  is  gone?  Why,  he  sent  me  no 
word,  and  I  thought  —  at  least,  he  said  - 

"  He  has,  Madam,  like  Cataline,  evaded,  broken 
forth,  absconded.  But  as  to  leaving  word  for  you, 
he  was  not  quite  so  heartless  as  all  that.  I  have  a 
message  for  you." 

With  a  word  craving  permission  she  opened  the 
message.  It  was  brief. 

"  MY  DEAR  COUNTESS  : 

'  You  will  be  glad  to  know  that  so  far  as  your  late 
jailer  is  concerned,  your  captivity  is  at  an  end.  I  am 
leaving  the  boat  at  the  next  stop,  and  since  that  falls  in 

70 


THE  NEW  MASTER 

the  night-time,  I  will  not  disturb  you.  Senator  Dun- 
wody  has  kindly  consented  to  act  as  your  guardian  in 
my  stead,  and  from  your  message  to  him,  I  judge  that 
in  any  case  you  would  prefer  his  care  to  mine. 

"  My  dear  Countess,  they  are  not  merely  idle  words 
when  I  say  to  you  that  you  have  won  my  respect  and 
admiration.  Be  on  your  guard,  and  allow  me  to  ad 
vise  you  in  the  interest  of  yourself  and  others  to  re 
main  —  silent. 

"  YOUR  OBLIGED  AND  DUTIFUL  SERV'T  - 

No  reasons  were  urged,  no  apologies  offered.  Ob 
viously,  the  signature  was  in  such  circumstances 
better  omitted. 

The  effect  of  this  note,  strange  to  say,  was  to  fill 
its  recipient  not  with  satisfaction,  not  even  with  sur 
prise,  but  with  sudden  horror.  She  felt  abandoned, 
forsaken,  not  pausing  to  reflect  that  now  she  had  only 
what  she  had  demanded  of  her  late  companion, — 
guardian,  she  now  hastily  called  him,  and  not  jailer. 
Unconsciously  she  half-arose,  would  have  left  the 
room.  Her  soul  was  filled  with  an  instinctive,  un- 
formulated  dread. 

As  to  Dunwody  himself,  ruthless  and  arrogant  as 
was  his  nature,  he  bore  no  trace  of  imperiousness  now. 
The  silent  lips  and  high  color  of  the  face  before  him 
he  did  not  interpret  to  mean  terror,  but  contempt. 
In  the  fortunes  of  chance  he  had  won  her.  In  the 
game  pf  war  she  was  his  prisoner.  Yet  no  ancient 
warrior  of  old,  rude,  armored,  beweaponed,  unrelent 
ing,  ever  stood  more  abashed  before  some  high-headed 
Avoman  captive.  He  had  won  —  what  ?  Nothing,  as 

71 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

he  knew  very  well,  beyond  the  opportunity  to  fight 
further  for  her,  and  under  a  far  harder  handicap, 
a  handicap  which  he  had  foolishly  imposed  on  him 
self.  This  woman,  seen  face  to  face,  yes,  she  was 
beautiful,  desirable,  covetable.  But  she  was  not  the 
sort  of  woman  he  had  supposed  her.  It  was  Carlisle, 
after  all,  who  had  won  in  the  game ! 

For  two  moments  he  debated  many  things  in  his 
mind.  Did  not  women  of  old  sometimes  relent? 
He  asked  himselfe  over  and  over  again  the  same  ques 
tions,  pleaded  to  himself  the  same  arguments.  After 
all,  he  reasoned,  this  was  only  a  woman.  Eventually 
she  must  yield  to  one  sort  of  treatment  or  the  other. 
He  had  not  reflected  that,  though  the  ages  in  some 
ways  have  stood  still,  in  others  they  have  gone  for 
ward.  In  bodily  presence  woman  has  not  much 
changed,  this  age  with  that.  The  canons  of  art  remain 
the  same,  the  ideals  of  art  are  the  same.  These  and 
those  lines,  gracious,  compelling, —  this  and  that  color, 
enchanting,  alluring,  so  much  white  flesh,  thus  much 
crown  of  tresses  —  they  have  for  ages  served  to  rob 
men  of  reason.  They  have  not  changed.  What  this 
man  could  not  realize  was  that  there  may  be  changes 
not  of  color  and  of  curve. 

Not  so  long  as  all  this  they  gazed  at  each  other, 
measured,  took  ground,  gaging  each  the  adversary  op 
posite. 

"Do  not  go!"  he  almost  commanded.  She  was 
half  way  to  the  door. 

"  Why  not,  sir?  "     She  wheeled  on  him  fiercely. 
72 


THE  NEW  MASTER 

"  Because, —  at  least,  you  would  not  be  so  cruel  — " 

"  I  thank  you,  but  I  am  leaving  the  boat  at  the 
first  opportunity.  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  continue 
an  acquaintance  formed  thus  irregularly." 

"On  the  contrary,  my  dear!"  The  ring  in  his 
voice  terrified  her,  but  his  terms  angered  her  yet 
more. 

"  I  do  not  in  the  least  understand  you,  sir!  I  am 
accustomed  to  do  quite  as  I  like.  And  you  may  ad 
dress  me  as  the  Countess  St.  Auban." 

"  Why  should  we  talk  of  this  ?  "  he  retorted.  "  Why 
talk  to  me  of  countesses?  To  me  you  are  something 
better  as  you  stand, —  the  most  beautiful  girl,  the  most 
splendid  human  being,  I  ever  saw  in  all  my  life.  If 
you  are  doing  quite  as  you  like,  why  should  you  ask 
me  to  come  to  your  aid?  And  why  will  you  not  now 
accept  my  aid  when  it  is  offered  ?  The  relations  under 
which  you  have  been  traveling  with  this  other  gen 
tleman  were  not  quite  clear  to  me,  but  such  as  they 
were  — ' 

"  Do  you  lack  courage,  sir,  to  say  that  he  has  quit 
claimed  me  to  you?  Am  I  still  a  prisoner?  Are  you 
to  be  my  new  jailer?  By  what  right,  then?" 

Dunwody  had  not  gathered  all  the  story  of  this 
woman  and  her  earlier  guardian;  more  than  she  her 
self  could  guess  what  had  been  Carlisle's  motive  or 
plan  in  leaving  her  to  her  own  devices.  That  she  was 
the  victim  simply  of  a  daring  kidnapping  could  not 
have  occurred  to  him.  What  then  did  she  mean  by 
talking  of  prisoners  ? 

73 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  After  all,  you  were  not  that  amanuensis  which 
you  yourself  claimed  to  be?  " 

"  I  was  not.  Of  course  I  was  not.  I  am  the 
Countess  St.  Auban.  It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to 
serve  any  man,  in  my  capacity." 

11  Why,  then,  did  you  say  you  were  ?  " 

"  Because  I  thought  I  was  still  to  be  in  that  gen 
tleman's  charge.  I  did  not  know  he  was  about  to 
desert  me.  I  preferred  his  company  to  worse." 

"  He  has  only  given  you  your  own  wish  —  I  hope 
it  is  still  your  wish.  I  hope  it  is  not  '  worse.' ' 

"  I  beg  you  to  forget  that  little  note  from  me.  I 
was  only  frightened  at  the  thought  of  a  long  journey 
which  I  did  not  know  then  might  end  so  soon.  I  only 
fancied  I  was  in  need  of  help." 

"  Tell  me  one  thing,"  he  began  irrelevantly.  "  You 
are  countess,  as  you  say.  Who  is  your  husband,  and 
where  is  he  ?  " 

"  You  have  no  right  to  ask.  I  must  leave  you  now. 
Ah !  If  indeed  I  had  a  protector  here  —  some  man  of 
that  country  where  men  fight  — " 

"  I  have  said  that  you  shall  not  leave." 

"  But  this  passes  belief.  It  is  insult,  it  is  simple 
outrage !  I  am  alone  —  I  come  to  you  asking  pro 
tection  in  the  name  of  a  man's  chivalry, —  an  Amer 
ican's.  This  is  what  I  receive !  You  declare  your 
self  to  be  my  new  jailer.  What  is  being  done  with 
me?  I  never  saw  Captain  Carlisle  until  three  days 
ago.  And  you  have  met  me  once,  before  this 

74 


THE  NEW  MASTER 

moment !     And  you  are  a  Southerner ;  and  they  tell 
me  — " 

"  That  once  was  enough." 

"  Your  pardon,  sir !  Which  way  does  the  conver 
sation  tend  ?  " 

"  To  one  end  only,"  he  resumed  sullenly,  desper 
ately,  "  You  shall  not  leave.  If  you  did,  I  should 
only  follow  you." 

"  How  excellent,  to  be  taken  by  one  brigand,  handed 
over  to  another  brigand,  and  threatened  with  per 
petual  attendance  of  the  latter !  Oh,  excellent  indeed ! 
Admirable  country !  " 

"  You  despise  the  offer  of  one  who  would  be  a  re 
spectful  servitor." 

She  mocked  at  him.  "  How  strange  a  thing  is  man ! 
That  is  the  first  argument  he  makes  to  a  woman,  the 
first  promise  he  makes.  Yet  at  once  he  forgets  the 
argument  and  forgets  the  promise.  What  you  desire 
is  to  be  not  my  servant,  but  my  master,  I  should  say. 
You  fancy  you  are  my  master  ?  Well,  then,  the  situa 
tion  seems  to  me  not  without  its  amusing  features. 
I  am  a  prisoner,  I  am  set  free.  I  am  sought  to  be 
again  put  in  durance,  under  duress,  by  a  man  who 
claims  to  be  my  humble  servitor  —  who  also  claims 
to  be  a  gentleman!  It  is  most  noble  of  you!  I  do 
not,  however,  comprehend." 

The  dull  flush  on  his  face  showed  at  least  no  weak 
ening  on  his  own  part.  "  Come  now!  "  he  exclaimed 
impatiently,  "  let  us  arrive  at  the  issue." 

75 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  And  what  honorable  enterprise  is  it  which  you 
propose?  " 

"  To  make  it  short,  Madam,  I  propose  to  take  you 
home  with  me.  Now  you  have  heard  it."  He  spoke 
in  a  desperate,  icy  calm. 

"  You  flatter  me !  But  how,  if  I  may  ask,  do  you 
intend  to  accomplish  all  that  ?  " 

"  I  have  not  thought  so  far  along.  In  peace,  if 
you  please :  it  would  be  much  better." 

"  But,  my  God !  "  she  exclaimed,  pausing  in  her 
walk  up  and  down.  '  You  speak  as  though  you  meant 
these  things !  Could  it  be  there,  out  there  —  beyond 
the  great  river  —  yes,  my  other  jailer  told  me  that 
we  were  not  to  stop  this  side !  I  suppose  you  are  my 
new  keeper,  then,  and  not  my  friend?  Duty  again, 
and  not  chivalry!  Is  that  what  you  mean?  " 

"  I  hardly  know  what  I  mean,"  he  answered  mis 
erably.  "  I  like  all  this  no  better  than  yourself.  But 
let  us  begin  with  what  is  certain.  Each  hour,  each 
day  I  may  be  able  to  hold  you  here  is  that  much  gained. 
I  can't  let  you  go." 

"  Most  excellent !  You  begin  well.  But  I  shall  not 
submit  to  such  insults  longer.  Such  treatment  is  new 
to  me.  It  shall  not  go  unrevenged.  Nor  shall  it  con 
tinue  now." 

"  It  is  too  late !  "  he  broke  in.  "  I  know  how  much 
I  have  taken  leave  of  my  own  self-respect,  but  there 
are  times  when  one  takes  leave  of  everything  —  cares 
for  nothing  that  lies  between  him  and  one  purpose. 
It  would  do  no  good  for  you  to  claim  the  protection 

76 


I   PROPOSE  TO   TAKE   YOU    HOME  WITH    ME 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

t 

of  others  —  even  if  I  had  to  fight  all  the  boat's  offi 
cers,  I  might  win.  But  in  that  case  you  could  only 
lose.  You  would  have  to  explain  who  you  are,  why 
you  are  here.  You  would  not  be  believed." 

"  What  I  wish  to  know  is  only  one  thing,"  she  re 
joined.  "  Not  offering  terms,  I  want  to  know  what 
is  the  alternative  you  have  proposed.  Let  us  see  if 
we  can  not  reason  calmly  over  this  matter."  She  also 
was  suddenly  cold  and  pale.  The  hand  of  a  swift  ter 
ror  was  upon  her  now. 

"  You  ask  me  to  reason,  and  I  answer  I  have  no 
reason  left.  You  ask  me  what  I  prospose,  ask  what 
we  should  do,  and  I  answer  I  do  not  know.  But  also 
I  know  that  if  you  left  me,  I  should  never  see  you 
again." 

"  But  what  difference,  then  ?  You  are,  I  presume, 
only  my  new  constable." 

"  There  could  be  no  social  chance  for  me  —  I've 
ruined  that.  You  would  exact  defeat  of  me  as  surely 
as  you  met  me,  there." 

"Social  chance?  —  Social — !  Well,  the  bon  Dieu! 
And  here  you  exact  defeat  for  yourself.  But  what 
defeat?  Come,  your  speech  sounds  more  personal 
than  professional.  What  can  you  possibly  think  your 
self  to  be,  but  my  new  jailer?  " 

"  I'm  not  so  sure.  Look,  each  turn  of  the  wheels 
takes  us  farther  away  from  the  places  where  society 
goes  on  in  its  own  grooves.  Out  here  we  manage  the 
world  in  our  own  ways." 

Unconsciously   the    eyes    of   both    of   them    turned 


THE  NEW  MASTER 

down  the  river,  along  which  the  boat  now  steadily 
continued  its  course.  He  went  on  somberly. 

"  Out  there,"  he  said,  pointing  toward  the  west, 
"  out  beyond  the  big  river,  there's  a  place  where  the 
wilderness  sweeps.  Out  there  the  law  is  that  of  the 
old  times.  It  is  far  away." 

"How  dare  you  speak  in  such  way  to  me?"  she 
half  whispered,  low  and  tense.  "  And  you  claim  man 
hood  !  " 

"  No,"  he  said,  sighing.  "  I  claim  nothing.  I 
deny  nothing.  I  assert  nothing  —  except  that  I'm 
going  to  be  not  your  jailer,  but  your  keeper.  Yes, 
I'm  going  to  hold  you,  keep  you !  You  shall  not  get 
away.  Why,"  he  added,  pacing  apart  for  a  moment. 
"  I  have  no  shame  left.  I've  planned  very  little.  I 
thought  I  might  even  ask  you  to  be  a  guest  at  my  own 
plantation.  My  place  is  out  on  the  edge  of  the  world, 
thirty  miles  back  from  the  river.  An  amanuensis  is 
as  reasonable  there  as  on  this  boat,  in  the  company  of 
a  frontier  army  man." 

"  That,  then,  is  your  robber  castle,  I  suppose." 

"  I  rule  there,  Madam,"  he  said  simply. 

"  Over  thrall  and  guest?  " 

"  Over  all  who  come  there,  Madam." 

"  I've  heard  of  the  time,"  she  went  on  icily,  "  when 
this  country  was  younger,  how  the  seigneurs  who 
held  right  under  the  old  French  kings  claimed  the 
law  of  the  high,  low  and  middle  justice.  Life,  death, 
honor,  all  lay  in  their  hands  —  in  the  hands  of  in 
dividuals.  But  I  thought  those  times  past.  I  thought 

79 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

that  this  river  was  different  from  the  St.  Lawrence. 
I  thought  that  this  was  a  republic,  and  inhabited  by 
men.  I  thought  the  South  had  gentlemen  — 

"  You  taunt  me,  my  dear  lady,  my  dear  girl.  But 
be  not  so  sure  that  times  have  changed.  Out  beyond, 
there,  where  we  are  going,  I  could  put  you  a  mile 
back  from  the  river,  and  you  would  find  yourself  in  a 
wilderness  the  most  pathless  in  the  world  to-day, 
worse  than  the  St.  Lawrence  ever  knew  at  any  time, 
more  lawless,  more  beyond  the  reach  of  any  law. 
These  lands  out  here  are  wild;  yes,  and  they  breed 
wild  men.  They  have  been  the  home  of  others  be 
sides  myself,  lawless,  restless  under  any  restraint.  If 
you  come  to  wildernesses,  and  if  you  come  to  the  law 
of  the  individual,  I  say  we're  only  just  approaching 
that  sort  of  thing  right  now,  and  here." 

She  looked  at  him,  some  inarticulate  sort  of  sound 
in  her  throat,  fully  frightened  now,  seeing  how  mis 
taken  she  had  been.  He  went  on : 

"  Out  there  in  the  big  valleys  beyond  the  river,  you 
would  indeed  disappear.  No  man  could  guess  what 
had  become  of  you.  You  would  never  be  found  again. 
And  without  any  doubt  or  question,  Madam,  if  you 
force  me  to  it,  you  shall  have  your  answer  in  that 
way.  I'm  not  a  boy  to  be  fooled  with,  to  be  denied. 
I  rule  out  there,  over  free  and  thrall.  There's  where 
you're  going.  Your  other  jailer  told  you  the  truth !  " 

She  looked  at  him  slowly  and  fully  now,  the  color 
fading  from  her  face.  Her  soul  had  touched  the  steel 
in  his  own  soul.  She  knew  that,  once  aroused,  this 

80 


man  would  hesitate  at  nothing.  Crowded  beyond  his 
limit,  there  was  no  measure  he  would  not  employ. 
Other  means  must  be  employed  with  such  a  nature 
as  his.  She  temporized. 

"  Listen.  You  are  a  man  of  family  and  traditions, 
—  my  late  guardian  told  me.  You  have  been  chosen 
to  a  position  of  trust,  you  are  one  of  the  lawmakers 
of  your  own  state.  Do  you  ever  stop  to  reflect  what 
you  are  doing,  how  you  are  abandoning  yourself, 
your  own  traditions,  your  own  duties,  when  you 
speak  as  you  have  been  speaking  to  me?  I  had  com 
mitted  no  crime.  I  am  held  by  no  process  of  law. 
You  take  risks." 

"  I  know.  I  have  thrown  it  all  away  in  the  bal 
ance.  If  these  things  were  known,  I  would  be  ruined." 
He  spoke  dully  and  evenly,  indifferently. 

"  I  lack  many  things,  Madam,"  he  resumed  at 
length.  "  I  do  not  lack  honesty  even  with  myself,  and 
I  do  not  lie  even  to  a  woman.  That's  the  trouble.  I 
have  not  lied  to  you.  Come  now,  let  us  understand. 
I  suppose  it's  because  I've  been  alone  so  much.  Civili 
zation  does  not  trouble  us  much  back  there.  These 
are  my  people  —  they  love  me  —  I  hold  them  in  my 
hand  so  long  as  I  live  up  to  their  standards.  Maybe 
I've  thrown  them  away,  right  now, —  my  people." 

:<  You  are  not  living  up  to  your  standards." 

"  No,  but  I  can  not  make  you  understand  me.  I  can 
not  make  you  understand  that  the  great  thing  of  life 
isn't  the  foolish  ambition  of  a  man  to  get  into  a  state 
legislature,  to  make  laws,  to  see  them  enforced.  It 

Si 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

isn't  the  original  purpose  of  man  to  get  on  in  politics 
or  business,  or  social  regard.  Man  is  made  to  love 
some  woman.  Woman  is  made  to  be  loved  by  some 
man.  That's  life.  It's  all  of  it.  I  know  there's  noth 
ing  else." 

"  I  have  heard  my  share  of  such  talk,  perhaps,  in 
this  or  that  corner  of  the  world,"  she  answered,  with 
scorn.  "  Excellent,  for  you  to  force  it  upon  a  woman 
who  is  helpless !  " 

"  Talk  doesn't  help,  but  deeds  will.  You're  going 
along  with  me.  I  would  swear  you  belonged  to  me,  if 
need  be.  As,  by  the  Almighty  God !  I  intend  you 
some  day  shall.  All  the  officers  of  the  law  are  sworn 
to  help  a  man  claim  what  is  his  own,  this  side  or  that 
of  the  slave  line.  All  the  stars  in  the  sky  are  sworn 
to  help  a  man  who  feels  what  I  feel.  Don't  tempt  me, 
don't  try  to  drive  me  —  it  will  never  do.  I'll  be 
harder  to  handle  than  the  man  who  lost  you  to  me  last 
evening  in  a  game  of  cards, —  and  who  went  away  last 
night  and  left  you  —  to  me." 

As  she  gazed  at  him  she  saw  his  hands  clenched, 
his  mouth  twitching.  "  You  would  do  that,  even  — " 
she  began.  "  I  have  never  known  men  grew  thus  un 
scrupulous.  A  game  —  a  game  at  cards !  An4  I  — 
was  lost  —  I !  —  I !  And  also  won  ?  What  can  you 
mean?  Am  I  then  indeed  a  slave,  a  chattel?  Ah,  in 
deed,  now  am  I  lost!  My  God,  and  I  have  no  coun 
try,  no  kin,  no  God,  to  avenge  me !  " 

A  sort  of  sob  caught  in  his  throat.  "  I  was 
wrong !  "  he  cried  suddenly.  "  I  always  say  the  wrong 

82 


THE  NEW  MASTER 

word,  do  the  wrong  thing,  take  the  wrong  way.  But 
-  don't  you  remember  about  Martin  Luther  ?  He 
said  he  couldn't  help  himself.  '  Here  stand  I,  I  can  not 
otherwise,  God  help  me ! '  That's  just  the  way  with 
me  —  you  blame  me,  but  I  tell  you  I  can  not  otherwise. 
And  I've  told  the  truth.  I've  made  wreck  of  every 
thing  right  now.  You  ask  me  to  make  plans;  and  I 
tell  you  I  can  not.  I  would  take  you  off  the  boat 
by  force  rather  than  see  you  go  away  from  me.  This 
thing  is  not  yet  worked  out  to  the  end.  I'm  not  yet 
done.  That's  all  I  know.  You'll  have  to  go  along 
with  me." 

A  sudden  revulsion  swept  over  him.  He  trembled 
as  he  stood,  and  reached  out  a  hand. 

"  Give  me  a  chance !  "  he  broke  out,  sobered  now. 
"  It  was  a  new  thing,  this  feeling.  Come,  you  sent 
for  me  —  you  asked  me  —  that  other  man  placed  me 
in  his  stead  as  your  guardian.  He  didn't  know  I 
would  act  in  this  way,  that's  true.  I  own  I've  been 
brutal.  I  know  I've  forgotten  everything,  but  it  came 
over  me  all  at  once,  something  new.  Why,  look  at 
us  two  together  —  what  could  stop  us  ?  Always  I've 
lacked  something:  I  did  not  know  what.  Now  I 
know.  Give  me  my  chance.  Let  me  try  again !  " 

In  this  strange,  strained  position,  she  caught,  in 
spite  of  herself,  some  sort  of  genuine  note  underneath 
the  frankness  of  his  ungovernable  passion.  For  once, 
she  was'in  a  situation  where  she  could  neither  fathom 
motives  nor  arrange  remedies.  She  stood  in  sheer 
terror,  half  fascinated  in  spite  of  all. 

83 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

They  both  were  silent  for  a  while,  but  at  length 
she  resumed,  not  so  ungently :  "  Then  let  there  be 
this  contract  between  us,  sir.  Neither  of  us  shall 
make  any  further  scene.  We'll  temporize,  since  we 
can  do  no  better.  I  gave  parole  once.  I'll  not  give  it 
again,  but  I'll  go  a  little  farther  on  westward,  until  I  de 
cide  what  to  do." 

Impulsively  he  held  out  his  hand  to  her,  his  mouth 
twitching  with  emotion,  some  sort  of  strange  impulse 
shining  in  his  eyes. 

"  Be  my  enemy,  even,"  he  said,  "  only,  do  not  leave 
me.  I'll  not  let  you  go." 


CHAPTER  VII 

A    CONFUSION    IN    CHATTELS 

THEIR  conversation  was  brought  to  an  end  by 
sounds  of  hurrying  feet  upon  the  decks  above 
them.  The  hoarse  boom  of  the  steamer's  whistle  in 
dicated  an  intended  landing.  A  swift  thought  of 
possible  escape  came  to  the  mind  of  Josephine  St. 
Auban.  When  Dunwody  turned  in  his  troubled  pacing 
up  and  down  the  narrow  floor  of  the  cabin,  he  found 
himself  alone. 

"  Jeanne !  "  cried  she,  running  from  the  stair  to  the 
door  of  her  state-room.  "  Hurry !  Quick,  get  your 
valises !  We'll  leave  the  boat  here,  at  once !  "  Es 
cape,  in  some  fashion,  to  some  place,  at  once,  that  was 
her  sole  thought  in  the  panic  which  assailed  her. 

But  when  presently,  as  the  boat  drew  in  along  the 
dock,  she  made  ready  to  go  ashore  and  hurriedly 
sought  a  servant  to  take  care  of  the  luggage,  it  was 
the  captain  of  the  Mount  Vernon  himself  who  came 
to  meet  her. 

"  I  am  sorry,  Madam,"  he  began,  his  cap  in  hand, 
"  but  your  passage  was  booked  farther  down  the  river 
than  this  point.  You  are  mistaken.  This  it  not 
Cairo." 

85 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"What  of  that,  sir?  Is  it  not  the  privilege  of  a 
passenger  to  stop  at  any  intermediate  point  ?  " 

"  Not  in  this  case,  Madam." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  she  blazed  out  at  him  in 
anger  on  first  impulse.  But  even  as  she  did  so  there 
came  over  her  heart  once  more  the  sick  feeling  of 
helplessness.  Though  innocent,  she  was  indeed  a 
prisoner!  As  much  as  though  this  were  the  Middle 
Ages,  as  though  these  were  implacable  armed  enemies 
who  stood  about  her,  and  not  commonplace,  every 
day  individuals  in  a  commonplace  land,  she  was  a 
prisoner. 

"  You  shall  suffer  for  this ! "  she  exclaimed. 
"  There  must  be  a  law  somewhere  in  this  country." 

"  That  is  true,  Madam,"  said  the  captain,  "  and 
that  is  the  trouble.  I'm  told  that  my  orders  come 
from  the  highest  laws.  Certainly  I  have  no  option  in 
the  matter.  I  was  told  distinctly  not  to  let  you  off 
without  his  orders  —  not  even  to  allow  you  to  send 
any  word  ashore." 

"  But  the  gentleman  who  accompanied  me  is  no 
longer  on  the  boat.  He  left  me  word  that  our 
journey  in  common  was  ended.  See,  here  is  his 
note." 

"  All  I  can  say,  Madam,  is  that  this  is  not  signed, 
and  that  he  did  not  tell  me  he  was  going  to  leave.  I 
can  not  allow  you  to  go  ashore  at  this  point.  In  fact, 
I  should  consider  you  safer  here  on  the  boat  than  any 
where  else." 

"  Are  there  then  no  gentlemen  in  all  the  world  ? 

86 


A  CONFUSION  IN  CHATTELS 

Are  you  not  a  man  yourself?  Have  you  no  pity  for 
a  woman  in  such  plight  as  mine?  " 

"  Your  words  cut  me  deeply,  my  dear  lady.  I  want 
to  give  you  such  protection  as  I  can.  Any  man  would 
do  that.  I  am  a  man,  but  also  I  am  an  officer.  You 
are  a  woman,  but  apparently  also  some  sort  of  fugitive, 
I  don't  know  just  what.  We  learn  not  to  meddle  in 
these  matters.  But  I  think  no  harm  will  come  to 
you  —  I'm  sure  not,  from  the  care  the  gentlemen  used 
regarding  you.  Please  don't  make  it  hard  for  me." 

The  boat  was  now  alongside  the  dock  at  the  river 
settlement,  and  there  was  some  stir  at  the  gangway 
as  room  was  made  for  the  reception  of  additional 
passengers.  As  they  looked  over  the  rail  they  dis 
covered  these  to  be  made  up  of  a  somewhat  singular 
group.  Two  or  three  roughly  dressed  men  were 
guarding  as  many  prisoners.  Of  the  latter,  two  were 
coal  black  negroes.  The  third  was  a  young  woman 
apparently  of  white  blood,  of  comely  features  and  of 
composed  bearing  in  spite  of  her  situation.  A  second 
glance  showed  that  all  these  three  were  in  irons.  Ob 
viously  then  the  law,  which  at  that  time  under  the 
newly  formed  Compromise  Acts  allowed  an  owner  to 
follow  his  fugitive  slaves  into  any  state,  was  here 
rinding  an  example,  one  offering  indeed  all  the  ex 
tremes  of  cruelty  both  to  body  and  to  soul. 

"  For  instance,  young  lady,  look  at  that,"  went  on 
the  boat  captain,  turning  to  Josephine,  who  was  car 
ried  back  by  the  incoming  rush  of  the  new  passengers. 
"  It  is  something  we  see  now  and  again  on  this  river. 

87 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Sometimes  my  heart  aches,  but  what  can  I  do? 
That's  the  law,  too.  I  have  learned  not  to  meddle." 

"  My  God !  My  God !  "  exclaimed  Josephine  St. 
Auban,  her  eyes  dilating  with  horror,  forgetting  her 
own  plight  as  she  looked  at  the  spectacle  before  her. 
"  Can  these  things  really  be  in  America !  You  submit 
to  this,  and  you  are  men?  Law?  Is  there  any  law ?" 

She  did  not  hear  the  step  behind  them,  but  pres 
ently  a  voice  broke  in. 

"  If  you  please,  Captain  Rogers,"  said  Warville 
Dunwody,  "  I  think  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  re 
strain  this  lady  in  any  way.  By  this  time  she  knows 
it  will  be  better  not  to  make  any  attempt  to  escape." 

Jeanne,  the  maid,  was  first  to  see  the  distress  in 
the  face  of  her  mistress. 

"  Infamc!  Infainc!"  she  cried,  flying  at  them,  her 
hands  clenched,  her  foot  stamping.  "  Dogs  of  pigs, 
you  are  not  men,  you  are  not  gentlemen !  See  now ! 
See  now !  " 

Tears  stood  in  the  eyes  of  Jeanne  herself.  "  Come," 
said  she,  and  put  an  arm  about  her  mistress,  leading 
her  back  toward  the  door  of  the  cabin. 

"  This  is  bad  business,  sir,"  said  the  older  man, 
turning  to  Dunwody.  "  I  don't  understand  all  this 
case,  but  I'm  almost  ready  to  take  that  girl's  part. 
Who  is  she?  I  can't  endure  much  longer  seeing  a 
woman  like  that  handled  in  this  way.  You'll  some  of 
you  have  to  show  me  your  papers  before  long." 

"  You  ask  me  who  she  is,"  replied  Dunwody  slowly, 
"  and  on  my  honor  I  can  hardly  tell  you.  She  is 

88 


THAT  S   THE   LAW,  TOO 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

temporary  ward  of  the  government,  that  much  is  sure. 
You  know  very  well  the  arm  of  the  national  govern 
ment  is  long.  You  know,  too,  that  I'm  a  state  sen 
ator  and  also  a  United  States  marshal  in  Missouri." 

"  But  where  do  you  come  into  this  case,  Senator?  " 

"  I  came  into  it  last  night  at  a  little  after  nine 
o'clock,"  rejoined  Dunwody.  "  Her  former  guardian 
has  turned  her  over  to  me.  She  does  not  leave  the 
boat  till  I  do,  at  Cairo,  where  I  change  for  up-river ; 
and  when  I  go,  she  goes.  Don't  pay  any  attention  to 
any  outcry  she  may  make.  She's  my  —  property." 

Captain  Rogers  pondered  for  a  time,  but  at  length 
his  face  broke  out  into  a  sort  of  smile.  "  There  may 
be  trouble  ahead  for  you,"  he  began.  "  It  is  like  my 
old  friend  Bill  Jones  in  there.  He  buys  him  a  young 
filly  last  spring.  Goes  over  to  bring  the  filly  home, 
and  finds  she  isn't  broke,  and  wild  as  a  hawk.  So  he 
puts  a  halter  on  her  and  starts  off  to  lead  her  home. 
The  filly  rears  up,  falls  over  and  breaks  her  neck;  so 
he's  out  his  money  and  his  pains.  Some  sorts  of 
women  won't  lead." 

"  They  all  do  in  time,"  rejoined  Dunwody  grimly. 
"  This  one  must."  The  old  boat  captain  shook  his 
head. 

"  Some  of  them  break  their  necks  first,"  said  he. 
"  This  one's  got  blood  in  her  too,  I  tell  you  that." 

Dunwody  made  no  answer  except  to  turn  and  walk 
down  the  deck.  The  captain,  pondering  on  matters 
entirely  beyond  his  comprehension,  but  forced  to  ac 
cept  the  assurances  of  men  such  as  these  who  had  ap- 

90 


A  CONFUSION  IN  CHATTELS 

peared  as  guardians  of  this  mysterious  young  woman, 
now  returned  to  his  own  quarters.  "  I  reckon  it's 
none  of  my  business,"  he  muttered.  "  Some  high- 
class  forger  or  confidence  worker  that's  beat  the 
government  somehow,  maybe.  But  she  don't  look  it 
-  I'll  be  damned  if  she  looks  it.  I  wonder  — ?  " 

Dunwody,  left  to  himself,  began  moodily  to  walk 
up  and  down  the  narrow  deck,  his  hands  behind  his 
back.  On  his  face  was  the  red  fighting  flush,  but  it 
was  backed  by  no  expression  of  definite  purpose,  and 
his  walk  showed  his  mental  uncertainty.  All  at  once 
he  turned  and  with  decision  passed  down  the  stairs  to 
the  lower  deck.  He  had  heard  voices  which  he  recog 
nized. 

Judge  Clayton  had  joined  the  party  in  charge  of 
the  fugitives,  and  was  now  in  conversation  with  the 
overseer,  a  short  man  clad  in  a  coarse  blue  jacket,  with 
high  boots  and  greasy  leather  trousers.  The  latter  was 
expatiating  exultantly  upon  his  own  bravery  and 
shrewdness  in  effecting  the  recapture  of  his  prisoners. 

"  Why,  Jedge,"  said  he,  "  fust  off  it  di'n't  look  like 
we'd  ever  git  track  of  'em  at  all.  I  cotched  the 
trail  at  Portsmouth  at  last,  and  follered  'em  back  into 
Ohio.  They  was  shore  on  the  *  underground  '  and 
bound  for  Canada,  or  leastways  Chicago.  I  found 
'em  in  a  house  'way  out  in  the  country  —  midnight  it 
was  when  we  got  thar.  I'd  summonsed  the  sher'f  and 
two  constables  to  go  'long.  Farm-house  was  a  un 
derground  railway  station  all  right,  and  the  farmer 
showed  fight.  We  was  too  much  fer  him,  and  we 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

taken  'em  out  at  last,  but  one  of  the  constables  got 
shot  —  some  one  fired  right  through  the  winder  at  us. 
This  Lily  gal  was  the  wust  of  the  lot,  and  I  don't  put 
it  a-past  her  to  'a'  done  some  of  the  shootin'  herself. 
But  we  brung  'em  all  along. 

"  Now,  Jedge,"  he  continued,  "  of  co'se,  I  think  I 
can  do  something  for  these  two  bucks  Bill  and  Jim  — 
this  gal  only  persuaded  'em  to  run  away  with  her. 
But  if  I  was  you,  I  shore  would  sell  that  Lily  gal 
South,  right  away.  She's  bound  fer  to  make  trouble, 
and  nothin'  but  trouble,  fer  you  as  long  as  you  keep 
her  round  the  place." 

The  speaker,  coarse  and  ignorant,  presented  a  con 
trast  to  the  tall,  dignified  and  quiet  gentleman  whom 
he  accosted,  and  who  now  stood,  with  hands  in  pock 
ets,  looking  on  with  genuine  concern  on  his  face. 

"  Lily,"  said  he  at  length,  "  what  makes  you  act  this 
way?  Haven't  you  always  been  treated  well  down 
there  at  home  ?  " 

"  Yas,  sir,  I  reckon  so,"  replied  the  girl  sullenly ; 
"  well  as  anybody's  niggahs  is!  " 

"Then  why  do  you  want  to  run  off?  This  is  the 
third  time  in  the  last  year.  I've  been  kind  to  you  — 
I  say,  Dunwody,"  he  went  on,  turning  suddenly  as  he 
saw  the  latter  approach  — "  haven't  I  always  treated 
my  people  right  ?  Haven't  I  always  given  them  every 
thing  in  the  world  they  ought  to  have  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Judge,  that's  the  truth,  and  any  neighbor  of 
yours  will  say  it,"  assented  Dunwody  as  he  joined  the 

92 


A  CONFUSION  IN  CHATTELS 

group.  "  What's  wrong  then  ?  This  Lily  girl  run  off 
again?  Seems  to  me  you  told  me  about  her." 

':  Yes,"  said  Judge  Clayton,  rubbing  a  finger  across 
his  chin  in  perturbation,  "  the  poor  thing  doesn't  know 
when  she's  well  off.  But  what  am  I  to  do  with  her, 
that's  the  question?  I  don't  believe  in  whipping;  but 
in  this  case,  Wilson,  I'm  going  to  turn  over  those  two 
boys  to  you.  I  won't  have  the  girl  whipped  even  yet. 
I'll  see  you  when  we  get  down  to  Cairo,"  he  added, 
turning  away.  "  We'll  have  to  change  there  to  the 
Sally  Lee,  for  the  Vernon  doesn't  stop  at  our  landing. 
She's  going  straight  through  to  Memphis." 

As  Judge  Clayton  walked  away,  Dunwody  turned  to 
the  overseer,  whom  he  had  seen  before  on  the  Clayton 
plantations. 

"  So  you  had  trouble  this  time  ?  "  he  ventured. 

"  Heap  of  it,  sir,"  replied  the  overseer,  taking  off 
his  cap.  "  It  was  that  fine  yaller  lady  there  that  made 
most  of  it.  She's  the  one  that's  a-fofttt'tt/in'  trouble 
right  along.  She's  a  quiet  lookin'  gal,  but  she  ain't. 
It's  all  right  what  the  jedge  says  to  me,  but  I'm  goin' 
to  have  a  little  settlement  with  this  fine  lady  myself, 
this  time." 

The  girl  heard  him  plainly  enough,  but  only  turned 
moodily  back  toward  the  coil  of  rope  where  sat  the 
two  blacks  who  had  been  her  companions.  From 
these  she  kept  her  skirt  as  remote  as  though  they  were 
not  of  her  station.  Dunwody  approached  the  over 
seer,  and  put  a  gold  double-eagle  in  his  hand. 

93 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Listen  here,  Wilson,"  said  he,  "  you  seem  to  be 
able  to  handle  such  people  discreetly.  Now  I've  got 
a  prisoner  along,  up-stairs,  myself  —  never  mind  who 
she  is  or  how  she  comes  here.  As  you  know,  I'm  a 
United  States  marshal  for  this  district,  and  this 
prisoner  has  been  turned  over  to  me.  I'm  going  on 
up  home,  beyond  St.  Genevieve,  and  I've  got  to  change 
down  there  at  Cairo  myself,  to  take  the  up-river 
boat." 

"  Mulattress? "  listlessly  inquired  Wilson,  after 
grinning  at  the  coin.  "  They're  the  wust.  I'd  rather 
handle  straight  niggers  my  own  self." 

"  Well,"  said  Dunwody,  "  now  that  you  mention  it, 
I  don't  know  but  they  would  be  easier  to  handle. 
This  prisoner  is  about  as  tall  as  that  girl  yonder,  and 
she's  a  whole  lot  lighter,  do  you  understand?  Of  a 
dark  night  —  say  about  the  time  we'd  get  down  to 
Cairo,  midnight  —  well  wrapped  up,  and  the  face  of 
neither  showing,  it  might  be  hard  to  tell  one  of  them 
from  the  other." 

"  How'll  you  trade?  "  grinned  Wilson.  "  Anybody 
kin  git  a  mighty  good  trade  for  this  yaller  lady  of 
ours  here.  If  she  was  mine  I'd  trade  her  for  a  sack 
of  last  year  potatoes.  I  reckon  Jedge  Clayton'll  be 
sick  enough  of  her,  time  he  gets  expenses  of  this  last 
trip  paid,  gittin'  her  back." 

"  I'm  not  trading,"  said  Dunwody,  frowning  and 
flushing.  "  But  now  I'll  tell  you  what  I  want  you  to 
do,  when  we  get  into  Cairo.  I  may  have  trouble  with 
my  prisoner,  and  I  don't  know  any  better  man  than 

94 


A  CONFUSION  IN  CHATTELS 

yourself  to  have  around  in  a  case  like  that.  Do  you 
think,  if  I  left  it  all  to  you,  you  could  handle  it?  " 

"  Shore  I  could  —  what's  the  use  of  your  troublin' 
yourself  about  it,  Colonel  Dunwody?  This  here's 
more  in  my  line." 

Dunwody  turned  away  with  a  sudden  feeling  of 
revulsion,  almost  of  nausea  at  the  thought  now  in  his 
mind.  It  was  a  few  moments  later  that  he  again  ap 
proached  Wilson. 

"  There's  a  French  girl  along  with  this  prisoner  of 
mine,"  said  he.  "  Just  take  them  both  along  together. 
I  reckon  the  French  girl  won't  make  any  disturbance 
-it's  the  other  —  the  lady  —  her  mistress.  She's 
apt  to  —  to  '  fomint '  trouble.  Handle  her  gently  as 
you  can.  You'll  have  to  have  help.  The  captain 
will  not  interfere.  You  just  substitute  my  prisoner 
for  yours  yonder  at  Cairo  —  I'll  show  you  where 
she  is  when  the  time  comes.  Once  you  have  her 
aboard  my  boat  for  St.  Genevieve,  you  can  come  back 
and  take  care  of  your  own  prisoners  here.  There 
may  be  another  eagle  or  so  in  it.  I  am  not  asking 
questions  and  want  none  asked.  Do  your  work,  that's 
all." 

"  You  don't  need  to  be  a-skeered  but  what  I'll  do 
the  work,  Colonel,"  smiled  Wilson  grimly.  "  I've 
had  a  heap  o'  trouble  the  last  week,  and  I'm  about 
tired.  I'll  not  stand  no  foolishness." 

Irfad  any  friend  seen  Warville  Dunwody  that  night, 
he  must  have  pronounced  him  ten  years  older  than 
when  the  Mount  Vcrnon  had  begun  her  voyage. 

95 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE    SHADOW    CABINET 

((  \  LL  very  well,  gentlemen!  All  very  well!  "  re- 
./~~\.  peated  the  man  who  sat  at  the  head  of  the 
table.  "I  do  not  deny  anything  you  say.  None  the 
less,  the  question  remains,  what  were  we  to  do  with 
this  woman,  since  she  was  here?  I  confess  my  own 
relief  at  this  message  from  our  agent,  Captain  Car 
lisle,  telling  of  her  temporary  disappearance." 

As  he  spoke,  he  half  pushed  back  his  chair,  as 
though  in  impatience  or  agitation  over  the  problem 
which  evidently  occupied  his  mind.  A  man  above 
medium  height,  somewhat  spare  in  habit  of  body,  of 
handsome  features  and  distinguished  presence,  al 
though  with  hair  now  slightly  thinned  by  advancing 
years,  he  seemed,  if  not  by  natural  right,  at  least  by 
accorded  authority,  the  leader  in  this  company  with 
whose  members  he  was  not  unwilling  to  take  counsel. 
Those  who  sat  before  him  were  his  counselors, 
chosen  by  himself,  in  manner  ratified  by  law  and 
custom.  They  made,  as  with  propriety  may  be  stated, 
a  remarkable  body  of  men.  It  were  less  seemly  openly 
to  determine  their  names  and  their  station,  since 
they  were  public  men,  and  since,  as  presently  appeared, 

96 


A   COLORED   MAN   APPEARED   WITH    LIGHTED  TAPER 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

they  now  were  engaged  on  business  of  such  nature 
as  might  not  be  placed  in  full  upon  public  records. 

At  least  it  may  be  stated  that  this  meeting  was 
held  in  the  autumn  of  the  year  1850,  and  in  one  of 
the  great  public  buildings  of  the  city  of  Washington. 
Apparently  it  was  more  private  than  official  in  its 
nature,  and  apparently  it  now  had  lasted  for  some 
time.  The  hour  was  late.  Darkness  presently  must 
enshroud  the  room.  Even  now  the  shadows  fell 
heavy  upon  the  lofty  portraits,  the  rich  furnishings, 
the  mixed  assemblage  of  somewhat  hodgepodge 
decorations.  Twice  an  ancient  colored  man  had  ap 
peared  at  the  door  with  lighted  taper,  as  though  to 
offer  better  illumination,  but  each  time  the  master  of 
the  place  had  waved  him  away,  as  though  unwilling  to 
have  present  a  witness  even  so  humble  as  he. 
Through  the  door,  thus  half  opened,  there  might  have 
been  seen  in  the  hall  two  silent  and  motionless  figures, 
standing  guard. 

Obviously  the  persons  here  present  were  of  im 
portance.  It  was  equally  obvious  that  they  sought  no 
intrusion.  Why,  then,  in  a  meeting  so  private  and 
so  serious,  should  there  come  a  remark  upon  a  topic 
certainly  not  a  matter  of  state  in  the  usual  acceptance 
of  the  term?  Why  should  the  leader  have  been  con 
cerned  over  the  slight  matter  of  a  woman's  late  pres 
ence  here  in  Washington  ? 

As  though  to  question  his  associates,  the  speaker 
turned  his  glance  down  the  long  table,  where  sat 
figures,  indistinct  in  the  gathering  gloom.  At  his 

98 


THE  SHADOW  CABINET 

right  hand,  half  in  shadow,  there  showed  the  bold 
outlines  of  a  leonine  head  set  upon  broad  shoulders. 
Under  cavernous  brows,  dark  eyes  looked  out  with 
seriousness.  Half  revealed  as  it  was,  here  was  a 
countenance  fairly  fit  to  be  called  godlike.  That  this 
presence  was  animated  with  a  brain  whose  decision 
had  value,  might  have  been  learned  from  the  flitting 
gaze  of  the  leader  which,  cast  now  on  this  or  the 
other,  returned  always  to  this  man  at  the  right. 
There  were  seven  gentlemen  of  them  in  all,  and  of 
these  all  were  clad  in  the  costume  of  the  day,  save 
this  one,  who  retained  the  fashion  of  an  earlier  time. 
His  coat  might  have  come  from  the  Revolution,  its 
color  possibly  the  blue  of  an  earlier  day.  The 
trousers  fitted  close  to  massive  and  shapely  limbs,  and 
the  long  waistcoat,  not  of  a  modish  silk,  was  buff  in 
color,  such  as  might  one  time  have  been  worn  by 
Washington  himself.  This  man,  these  men,  dis 
tinguished  in  every  line,  might  have  been  statesmen  of 
an  earlier  day  than  that  of  Calhoun,  Clay  and  Benton. 
Yet  the  year  of  1850,  that  time  when  forced  and 
formal  peace  began  to  mask  the  attitude  of  sections 
already  arrayed  for  a  later  war,  might  have  been  called 
as  important  as  any  in  our  history. 

The  ranks  of  these  men  at  the  table,  too,  might 
have  been  caljed  arranged  as  though  by  some  shrewd 
compromise.  Even  a  careless  eye  or  ear  might  have 
declared  both  sections,  North  and  South,  to  have  been 
represented  here.  Grave  men  they  were,  and  ac 
customed  to  think,  and  they  reflected,  thus  early  in 

99 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Millard  Fillmore's  administration,  the  evenly  balanced 
political  powers  of  the  time. 

The  headlong  haste  of  both  sections  was  in  the 
year  1850  halted  for  a  time  by  the  sage  counsels  of 
such  leaders  as  Clay,  in  the  South,  even  Webster,  in 
the  North.  The  South  claimed,  after  the  close  of  the 
Mexican  War  and  the  accession  of  the  enormous 
Spanish  territories  to  the  southwest,  that  the  accepted 
line  of  compromise  established  in  1820,  by  which 
slavery  might  not  pass  north  of  the  parallel  of  lati 
tude  thirty-six  degrees,  thirty  minutes,  should  be  ex 
tended  westward  quite  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  She 
grumbled  that,  although  she  had  helped  fight  for  and 
pay  for  this  territory,  she  could  not  control  it,  and 
could  not  move  into  it  legally  the  slaves  which  then 
made  the  most  valued  part  of  a  southern  man's  prop 
erty.  As  against  this  feeling,  the  united  politicians 
had  thrown  to  the  hot-headed  Southerners  a  sop  in  the 
form  of  the  Fugitive  Slave  Act.  The  right  for  a  south 
ern  owner  to  follow  and  claim  his  slave  in  any  northern 
state  \vas  granted  under  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States.  Under  the  compromise  of  1850,  it  was  ex 
tended  and  confirmed. 

The  abolitionists  of  the  North  rose  in  arms  against 
this  part  of  the  great  compromise  measure ;  a  law 
which,  though  constitutional,  seemed  to  them  nefa 
rious  and  infamous.  The  leaders  in  Congress,  both 
Whig  and  Democrat,  feared  now,  therefore,  nothing 
in  the  world  so  much  as  the  outbreak  of  a  new  politi 
cal  party,  which  might  disorganize  this  nicely  ad- 

100 


THE  SHADOW  CABINET 

justed  compromise,  put  an  end  to  what  all  politicians 
were  fond  of  calling  the  "  finality  "  of  the  arrange 
ment,  and  so  bring  on,  if  not  an  encounter  of  armed 
forces,  if  not  a  rupture  of  the  Union,  at  least  what 
to  them  seemed  almost  as  bad,  the  disintegration  of 
the  two  great  parties  of  the  day,  the  Whigs  and 
Democrats. 

If  compromise  showed  in  this  meeting  of  men  from 
different  sections,  it  was,  therefore,  but  a  matter  in 
tune  with  the  time.  Party  was  at  that  day  not  a 
matter  of  geography.  There  existed  then,  however, 
as  there  exists  to-day,  the  great  dividing  line  between 
those  who  are  in  and  those  who  are  out.  Obviously 
now,  although  they  represented  different  sections  of 
the  country,  these  men  likewise  represented  the  party 
which,  under  the  adjusted  vote  of  the  day,  could  be 
called  fortunate  enough  to  dwell  within  the  gates  of 
Washington  and  not  in  the  outer  darkness  of  political 
defeat. 

The  dark-browed  man  at  the  leader's  right  pres 
ently  began  to  speak.  His  voice,  deep  and  clear  as 
that  of  a  great  bronze  bell,  was  slow  and  deliberate, 
as  fittingly  voicing  an  accurate  mind. 

"  Sir,"  he  said,  "  this  matter  is  one  deserving  our 
most  careful  study,  trivial  though  at  first  blush  it 
would  seem.  As  to  the  danger  of  this  woman's 
machinations  here,  there  is  no  question.  A  match 
may  produce  convulsion,  explosion,  disaster,  when  ap 
plied  to  a  powder  magazine.  As  you  know,  this 
country  dwells  continually  above  an  awful  magazine. 

101 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

At  any  time  there  may  be  an  explosion  which  will 
mean  ruin  not  only  for  our  party  but  our  country. 
The  Free  Soil  party,  twice  defeated,  does  not  down. 
There  is  a  nationalist  movement  now  going  forward 
which  ignores  the  Constitution  itself.  With  you,  I 
dread  any  talk,  any  act,  of  our  own  or  another  nation, 
which  shall  even  indirectly  inflame  the  northern  re 
sentment  against  the  fugitive  law." 

"  On  that,  we  are  perfectly  agreed,  sir,"  began  the 
original  speaker,  "  and  then  — 

"  But  then,  sir,  we  come  to  the  question  of  the  re 
moval  of  this  umvelcome  person.  She  herself  is  a 
fugitive  from  no  law.  She  has  broken  no  law  of  this 
land  or  of  this  District.  She  has  a  right  to  dwell 
here  under  our  laws,  so  long  as  she  shall  obey  them, 
and  there  is  no  law  of  this  District,  nor  this  republic, 
nor  of  any  state,  any  monarchy,  not  even  any  law  of 
nations,  which  could  be  invoked  to  dismiss  her  from  a 
capital  where,  though  unwelcome,  she  has  a  right  to 
remain.  I  may  be  unwelcome  to  you,  you  to  me, 
either  of  us  to  any  man ;  yet,  having  done  no  treason, 
so  long  as  we  pay  our  debts  and  observe  the  law,  no 
man  may  raise  hand  or  voice  against  us." 

"  Quite  right !  "  broke  in  the  leader  again.  "  But 
let  us  look  simply  at  the  gravity  of  it.  They  say  it 
is  treason  not  only  against  our  own  country  but 
against  a  foreign  power  which  this  woman  is  foment 
ing.  The  Austrian  attache,  Mr.  Hiilsemann,  is  alto 
gether  rabid  over  the  matter.  He  said  to  me  pri 
vately  — " 

1 02 


THE  SHADOW  CABINET 

"  Then  most  improperly !  "  broke  in  the  tall  dark 
man. 

"  Improperly,  but  none  the  less,  insistently,  he  said 
that  his  government  will  not  tolerate  her  reception  here. 
He  charges  her  with  machinations  in  Europe,  under 
cover  of  President  Taylor's  embassy  of  investigation 
into  Hungarian  affairs.  He  declares  that  Russia  and 
Austria  are  one  in  their  plans.  That,  I  fear,  means 
also  England,  as  matters  now  stand  in  Europe." 

"  But,  sir,"  broke  in  the  vibrant  voice  of  a  gentle 
man  who  sat  at  the  left  of  the  speaker,  concealed  in 
the  shadow  cast  by  the  heavy  window  drapings, 
"  what  is  our  concern  over  that  ?  It  is  our  boast  that 
this  is  a  free  country.  As  for  England,  we  have 
taken  her  measure,  once  in  full,  a  second  time  at  least 
in  part;  and  as  for  Austria  or  Russia,  what  have  we 
to  do  with  their  territorial  designs?  Did  they  force 
us  to  fight,  why,  then,  we  might  fight,  and  with  proper 
reason." 

'  True  again,  sir ! "  said  the  leader,  recognizing 
the  force  of  the  murmur  which  greeted  this  outburst. 
"  It  is  not  any  of  these  powers  that  I  fear.  They 
might  bluster,  and  still  not  fight ;  and  indeed  they  lack 
any  rational  cause  for  war.  But  what  I  fear,  what  all 
of  us  fear,  gentlemen,  is  the  danger  here,  inside  our 
own  walls,  inside  our  own  country." 

Silence  again  fell  on  all.  They  looked  about  them, 
as  though  even  in  this  dimly  lighted  room  they  felt  the 
presence  of  that  ominous  shadow  which  lay  over  all 
the  land  —  the  menace  of  a  divided  country. 

103 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  That  is  the  dread  of  all  of  us,"  went  on  the 
leader.  "  The  war  with  Mexico  showed  us  where 
England  stands.  She  proved  herself  once  more  our 
ancient  enemy,  showed  that  her  chief  desire  is  to  break 
this  republic.  Before  that  war,  and  after  it,  she  has 
cultivated  a  friendship  with  the  South.  Why? 
Now  let  the  abolitionist  bring  on  this  outbreak  which 
he  covets,  let  the  North  and  South  fly  at  each  other's 
throats,  let  the  contending  powers  of  Europe  cross  the 
seas  to  quarrel  over  the  spoils  of  our  own  destruc 
tion —  and  what  then  will  be  left  of  this  republic? 
And  yet,  if  this  compromise  between  North  and 
South  be  broken  as  all  Europe  desires,  and  as  all  the 
North  threatens,  precisely  those  matters  will  come 
hurrying  upon  us.  And  they  will  find  us  divided,  in 
capable  of  resistance.  That  is  the  volcano,  the  mag 
azine,  over  which  we  dwell  continually.  It  passes 
politics,  and  puts  us  as  patriots  upon  the  question  of 
the  endurance  of  our  republic. 

"  And  I  tell  you  now,  gentlemen,"  he  concluded, 
"  as  you  know  very  well  yourselves,  that  this  woman, 
here  in  Washington,  would  hold  the  match  ready  to 
apply  to  that  magazine.  Which  of  you  does  not  see 
its  glimmering?  Which  of  you  doubts  her  readi 
ness?  There  was  not  twenty- four  hours  to  argue  the 
matter  of  her  —  her  temporary  absence.  We'd  have 
had  Austria  all  about  our  ears,  otherwise.  Gentle 
men,  I  am  mild  as  any,  and  most  of  any  I  am  sworn 
to  obey  the  laws,  and  to  guarantee  the  safeguards  of 
the  Constitution;  but  I  say  to  you — "  and  here  his 

104 


THE  SHADOW  CABINET 

hand  came  down  with  an  emphasis  unusual  in  his 
nature  — "  law  or  no  law,  Constitution  or  no  Consti 
tution,  an  exigency  existed  under  which  she  had  to 
leave  Washington,  and  that  upon  that  very  night." 

"  But  where  is  she  now  ?  "  ventured  another  voice. 
"  This  young  army  captain  simply  says  in  his  report 
that  he  left  her  on  the  Mount  Vernon  packet,  en 
route  down  the  Ohio.  Where  is  she  now;  and  how 
long  before  she  will  be  back  here,  match  in  hand?  " 

"  It  is  the  old,  old  case  of  Eve!"  sighed  one,  who 
leaned  a  bony  arm  upon  the  walnut,  and  who  spoke 
in  the  soft  accents  which  proclaimed  him  of  the 
South.  "  Woman !  It  is  only  the  old  Garden  over 
again.  Trouble,  thy  name  is  Woman !  " 

"  And  specifically,  its  name  is  Josephine,  Countess 
St.  Auban ! "  drawled  another,  opposite.  A  smile 
went  around  among  these  grave  and  dignified  men;  in 
deed,  a  light  laugh  sounded  somewhere  in  the  shadow. 
The  face  of  the  leader  relaxed,  though  not  sufficiently 
to  allow  light  comment.  The  dark  man  at  the  right 
spoke. 

'  The  great  Napoleon  was  right,"  said  he.  "  He 
never  ceased  to  prove  how  much  he  dreaded  woman 
at  any  juncture  of  public  affairs.  Indeed,  he  said  that 
all  the  public  places  of  the  government  should  be 
closed  to  them,  that  they  should  be  set  apart  and  dis 
tinguished  from  the  managers  of  affairs." 

"  And  so  do  we  say  it ! "  broke  in  the  leader. 
"  With  all  my  heart,  I  say  it." 

The  tall  man  bowed.     "  It  was  the  idea  of  Napo- 

105 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Icon  that  woman  should  be  distinguished  always  by  a 
veil  and  gown,  a  uniform  of  unworthiness  and  of 
danger.  True,  Napoleon  based  his  ideas  on  his 
studies  in  the  Orient.  Us  he  accused  of  treating 
woman  much  too  well.  He  declared  woman,  by 
virtue  of  her  birth,  to  be  made  as  man's  inferior  and 
his  slave,  and  would  tolerate  no  other  construction  of 
the  relation  of  the  sexes.  According  to  Napoleon, 
women  tyrannize  over  us  Americans,  whereas  we 
should  tyrannize  over  them.  It  was  plain,  in  his  con 
ception,  that  the  main  province  of  woman  is  in  mak 
ing  fools  of  men." 

"  In  some  ways,  Napoleon  was  a  thoughtful  man," 
remarked  a  voice  to  the  left;  and  once  more  a  half 
subdued  smile  went  around. 

"  I  yield  to  no  man  in  my  admiration  for  the  fair 
sex  —  '  began  the  tall,  dark  man.  The  smile  broke 
into  open  laughter.  The  leader  rapped  sharply  on 
the  table  edge,  frowning.  The  tall  man  bowed  once 
more,  as  he  resumed. 

" — but,  viewed  from  the  standpoint  of  our  dip 
lomacy,  the  matter  here  is  simple.  Last  week,  at  the 
reception  where  the  representatives  of  Austria  were 
present  this  woman  appeared,  properly  introduced, 
properly  invited,  it  is  true,  but  wholly  unwelcome 
socially,  in  certain  quarters.  The  attache  and  his  wife 
left  the  roof,  and  made  plain  to  their  host  their  reasons 
for  doing  so." 

"  Yes,  and  it  was  public  shame  that  they  should 
take  such  action.  The  woman  had  the  right  of  her 

1 06 


THE  SHADOW  CABINET 

host's  protection,  for  she  was  there  by  invitation!" 
Thus  the  bony  man  in  the  shadows. 

Again  the  leader  rapped  on  the  table.  "  Gentle 
men,  gentlemen !  "  he  began,  not  wholly  humorously. 
"  Let  us  have  a  care.  Let  us  at  least  not  divide  into 
factions  here.  We  all  of  us,  I  trust,  can  remember 
the  case  of  Peggy  O'Neil,  who  split  Washington 
asunder  not  so  long  ago.  She  was  the  wife  of  one  of 
President  Jackson's  cabinet  members,  yet  when  she 
appeared  upon  a  ball-room  floor,  all  the  ladies  left  it. 
It  was  Jackson  and  Eaton  against  the  world.  That 
same  situation  to-day,  granted  certain  conditions, 
might  mean  a  war  which  would  disrupt  this  Union. 
In  fact,  I  consider  Josephine  St.  Auban  to-day  more 
dangerous  than  Mrs.  Eaton  at  her  worst." 

"  But  we  have  just  heard  what  rights  we  have  be 
fore  the  law,  sir,"  ventured  a  hesitating,  drawling 
voice,  which  had  earlier  been  heard.  "  How  can  we 
take  cognizance  of  private  insult  given  by  a  foreign 
power  in  only  quasi-public  capacity?  I  conceive  it  to 
be  somewhat  difficult,  no  matter  what  the  reception 
in  the  society  of  Washington,  to  eject  this  woman 
from  the  city  of  Washington  itself;  or  at  least,  very 
likely  difficult  to  keep  her  ejected,  as  you  say,  sir." 

"  Where  should  she  go  ?  "  demanded  yet  another 
voice.  "  And  why  should  she  not  come  back?  " 

Impatiently,  the  leader  replied :  "  Where  ?  I  do 
not  know.  I  do  not  want  to  know.  I  must  not 
know!  Good  God,  must  we  not  bear  ourselves  in 
mind?" 

107 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Then,  sir,  in  case  of  her  sudden  return,  you  ask 
an  agent?"  said  a  keen,  clear,  and  incisive  voice, 
which  had  not  yet  been  heard.  "  Gentlemen,  shall 
we  cast  lots  for  the  honor  of  watching  the  Countess 
St.  Auban  in  case  of  her  undesired  return?  " 

The  grim  demand  brought  out  a  hasty  protest  from 
a  timid  soul :  "  To  that,  I  would  not  agree."  A  sort 
of  shuffle,  a  stir,  a  shifting  in  seats  seemed  to  take 
place  all  about  the  table. 

"  Very  well,  then,"  went  on  the  clear  voice,  "  let 
us  employ  euphemism  in  terms  and  softness  in 
methods.  If  we  may  not  again  kidnap  the  lady,  why 
may  we  not  bribe  her?  " 

"  It  could  not  be  done,"  broke  in  the  dark  man 
toward  the  head  of  the  table.  "  If  I  know  the  facts, 
this  woman  could  not  be  bought  for  any  ransom. 
She  has  both  station  and  wealth  accorded  her,  so  the 
story  goes,  for  some  service  of  her  family  in  the 
affairs  of  France.  But  she  will  none  of  monarchies. 
She  turned  democrat,  revolutionist,  in  France,  and 
on  the  hotter  stage  of  Hungary  —  and  so  finally 
sought  this  new  world  to  conquer.  She  is  no  artless 
miss,  but  a  woman  of  the  world,  brilliant  and  daring, 
with  ideas  of  her  own  about  a  world-democracy. 
She  is  perhaps  devout,  or  penitent !  " 

"  Nay,  let  us  go  softly,"  came  the  rejoinder  from 
the  shadows.  "  Woman  is  man's  monarch  only  part 
of  the  time.  We  need  some  man  who  is  a  nice  judge 
of  psychological  moments  and  nicely  suited  methods. 
We  stand,  all  of  us,  for  the  compromise  of  1850. 

1 08 


THE  SHADOW  CABINET 

That  compromise  is  not  yet  complete.  The  question 
of  this  unwelcome  lady  still  remains  to  be  adjusted. 
Were  Mr.  Clay  not  quite  so  old,  I  might  suggest 
his  name  for  this  last  and  most  crucial  endeavor  of 
a  long  and  troublous  life !  " 

"  By  the  Eternal  Jove !  "  broke  in  the  dark  man  at 
the  right,  shaking  off  the  half-moodiness  which  had 
seemed  to  possess  him.  "  When  it  comes  to  wheed 
ling,  age  is  no  such  bar.  I  call  to  mind  one  man  who 
could  side  with  Old  Hickory  in  the  case  of  Mrs.  Peggy 
Eaton.  I  mean  him  whom  we  call  the  Old  Fox  of 
the  North." 

"  He  was  a  widower,  even  then,  and  hence  im 
mune,"  smiled  the  man  across  the  table.  "  Now  he 
is  many  years  older." 

"  Yet,  none  the  less  a  widower,  and  all  the  more 
an  adjuster  of  nice  matters.  He  has  proven  himself 
a  politician.  It  was  his  accident  and  not  his  fault 
not  to  remain  with  us  in  our  party !  Yet  I  happen  to 
know  that  though  once  defeated  for  the  presidency 
and  twice  for  the  nomination,  he  remains  true  to  his 
Free  Soil  beliefs.  It  has  just  occurred  to  me,  since 
our  friend  from  Kentucky  mentions  it,  that  could  we 
by  some  fair  means,  some  legal  means  —  some  means 
of  adjustment  and  compromise,  if  you  please,  gentle 
men, —  place  this  young  lady  under  the  personal  care 
of  this  able  exponent  of  the  suaviter  in  modo,  and 
induce  him  to  conduct  her,  preferably  to  some  un 
known  point  beyond  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  there  to  lose 
her  permanently,  we  should  perhaps  be  doing  our 

109 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

country  a  service,  and  would  also  be  relieving  this 
administration  of  one  of  its  gravest  concerns.  Best 
of  all,  we  should  be  using  a  fox  for  a  cat's-paw,  some 
thing  which  has  not  often  been  done." 

The  matter-of-fact  man  who  presided  straightened 
his  shoulders  as  though  with  relief  at  some  sign  of 
action;  yet  he  did  not  relax  his  insistent  gravity  suffi 
ciently  to  join  the  smile  that  followed  this  sally. 

"  Let  us  be  sure,  gentlemen,  of  one  thing  at  a  time," 
he  resumed.  "  As  we  come  to  this  final  measure  sug 
gested  by  our  friend  from  Kentucky,  I  am  at  a  loss 
how  further  to  proceed.  What  we  do  can  not  be  made 
public.  We  can  not  sign  a  joint  note  asking  this  dis 
tinguished  gentleman  to  act  as  our  intermediary." 

"  At  the  time  of  the  ratification  of  the  Constitution 
by  the  convention  of  1787,"  began  the  dark  man  \vho 
had  earlier  spoken,  "  there  arose  a  difficulty  as  to  the 
unanimity  of  those  signing.  At  the  suggestion  of  Doc 
tor  Franklin  and  Mr.  Gouverneur  Morris,  there  was 
a  clause  added  which  stated  that  the  Constitution  was 
signed  '  as  by  the  states  actually  present/  this  leav 
ing  the  individual  signers  not  personally  responsible ! 
I  suggest  therefore,  sir,  that  we  should  evade  the 
personal  responsibility  of  this  did  you  put  it  to  the 
vote  of  the  states  represented  here." 

"  I  rely  upon  the  loyalty  and  the  unanimity  of  my 
family,"  replied  the  leader,  with  more  firmness  than 
was  wont.  "  Gentlemen,  are  we  then  agreed  ?  Does 
Massachusetts  consent?  Is  Virginia  with  us?  Is 
New  York  agreeable?  Does  Kentucky  also  agree?" 

no 


THE  SHADOW  CABINET 

There  was  no  murmur  of  dissent,  and  the  leader,  half 
rising,  concluded : 

"  Gentlemen,  \ve  agreed  four  days  ago  that  the 
Countess  St.  Auban  should  leave  Washington  not  later 
than  that  night.  We  are  now  agreed  that,  in  case  of 
her  return,  she  shall  if  possible  be  placed  under  the 
charge,  not  of  any  responsible  figure  of  our  party,  but 
of  a  gentleman  distinguished  in  the  councils  of  an 
opposing  party,  whose  abolitionist  beliefs  coincide 
somewhat  with  her  own.  Let  us  hope  they  will  both 
get  them  to  Missouri,  the  debating  ground,  the  center 
of  the  political  battle-field  to-day.  But,  Missouri  or 
Hungary,  Kentucky  or  France,  let  us  hope  that  one 
or  both  of  them  shall  pass  from  our  horizon. 

'  There  remains  but  one  question,  as  earlier  sug 
gested  by  Kentucky :  if  we  agree  upon  New  York  as 
our  agent,  who  shall  be  our  emissary  to  New  York, 
and  how  shall  he  accomplish  our  purpose  with  that 
gentleman  ?  Shall  we  decide  it  by  the  usual  procedure 
of  parliamentary  custom  ?  Do  you  allow  the  —  the 
Chair  —  '  he  smiled  as  he  bowed  before  them  — "  to 
appoint  this  committee  of  one?  I  suppose  you  agree 
that  the  smaller  the  committee  and  the  more  secret 
the  committee's  action,  the  better  for  us  all  ?  " 

There  was  silence  to  this.  A  moment's  hesitation, 
and  the  speaker  announced  his  decision.  "  The  gentle 
man  from  Kentucky  is  appointed  to  execute  this  task 
for  the  people  of  the  United  States.  Let  us  hope  he 
never  will  have  need  to  serve." 

It  cost  the  self-control  of  some  to  remain  silent  at 
in 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

this,  and  the  courage  of  the  remaining  member  also 
to  preserve  the  silence  which  meant  his  acceptance  of 
a  task  so  difficult  and  distasteful. 

"  Sir,"  hastily  went  on  the  original  speaker,  "  our 
thanks  are  due  to  you.  We  shall  limit  you  with  no 
instructions.  All  the  money  required  by  you  as  agent, 
or  required  by  your  agent,  shall  of  course  be  forth 
coming,  and  you  shall  quietly  have  also  the  assistance 
of  all  the  secret  service,  if  so  desired.  None  of  us 
must  know  what  has  become  of  the  Countess  St. 
Auban,  now  or  later.  You  have  heard  me.  Gentle 
men,  we  adjourn." 

He  stepped  now  to  the  door,  and  admitted  the  an 
cient  colored  man,  with  his  lights.  The  curtains  were 
drawn,  shutting  out  even  the  twilight  gloom.  And 
now  the  lights  blazed  up,  illuminating  an  historic  stage. 

The  chief  of  the  deliberations  now  became  the  host, 
and  motioned  his  guests  to  the  corner  of  the  apart 
ments  where  stood  a  long  sideboard  of  dark  mahogany, 
bearing  different  crystal  decanters.  Himself  refrain 
ing,  as  did  one  or  two  others,  he  passed  glasses,  mo 
tioned  to  the  ancient  colored  man,  and,  raising  his 
own  hand,  proposed  them  a  toast. 

"  Gentlemen, —  the  Union !  " 

They  bowed  to  him  ceremoniously,  each  in  his  way, 
with  reverence,  touching  lips  to  his  glass.  As  they 
parted,  one  for  a  moment  stood  alone,  the  dark  man 
who  had  sat  at  the  speaker's  right.  For  a  moment 
he  paused,  as  though  absorbed,  as  finally  he  set  down 

112 


THE  SHADOW  CABINET 

his  glass,  gazing  steadily  forward  as  though  striving 
to  read  what  lay  in  the  future. 

"The  Union!"  he  whispered,  almost  to  himself. 

It  might  have  been  the  voice,  as  it  was  the  thought 
of  all  those  who,  now  passing,  brought  to  a  close  this 
extraordinary  meeting. 

The  Union! 


CHAPTER  IX 

TALLWOODS 

MEANTIME,  events  which  might  have  held  in 
terest  in  certain  circles  in  Washington  had  they 
been  known,  passed  on  their  course,  and  toward  that 
very  region  which  had  half  in  jest  been  named  as  the 
storm  center  of  the  day  —  the  state  of  Missouri, 
anomalous,  inchoate,  discordant,  half  North,  half 
South,  itself  the  birth  of  compromise  and  sired  by 
political  jealousy;  whither,  against  her  will,  voyaged 
a  woman,  herself  engine  of  turbulence,  doubt  and  strife, 
and  in  company  now  of  a  savage  captor  who  con 
templated  nothing  but  establishing  her  for  his  own 
use  in  his  own  home. 

Tallwoods,  the  home  plantation  of  the  Dunwody 
family  in  the  West,  now  the  personal  property  of  the 
surviving  son,  state  senator  Warville  Dunwody  of 
Missouri,  presented  one  of  the  contrasts  which  now 
and  again  might  have  been  seen  in  our  early  western 
civilization.  It  lay  somewhat  remote  from  the  near 
est  city  of  consequence,  in  a  region  where  the  wide 
acres  of  the  owner  blended,  unused  and  uncultivated, 
with  those  still  more  wild,  as  yet  unclaimed  under  any 
private  title.  Yet  in  pretentiousness,  indeed  in  as- 

114 


TALLWOODS 

suredness,  it  might  have  rivaled  many  of  the  old  es 
tates  of  Kentucky,  the  Carolinas,  or  Virginia ;  so  much 
did  the  customs  and  ambitions  of  these  older  states 
follow  their  better  bred  sons  out  into  the  newer  regions. 

These  men  of  better  rank,  with  more  than  com 
petency  at  their  disposal,  not  infrequently  had  few 
neighbors  other  than  the  humble  but  independent 
frontiersman  who  left  for  new  fields  when  a  dog 
barked  within  fifty  miles  of  his  cabin.  There  were 
neighbors  within  half  that  distance  of  Tallwoods,  set 
tlers  nestled  here  or  there  in  these  enfolding  hills  and 
forests ;  but  of  neighbors  in  importance  equal  to  that 
of  the  owner  of  Tallwoods  there  were  few  or  none  in 
that  portion  of  the  state.  The  time  was  almost  feudal, 
but  wilder  and  richer  than  any  feudal  day,  in  that 
fief  tribute  was  unknown.  The  original  landlord  of 
these  acres  had  availed  himself  of  the  easy  laws  and 
easy  ways  of  the  time  and  place,  and  taken  over  to 
himself  from  the  loose  public  domain  a  small  realm 
all  his  own.  Here,  almost  in  seclusion,  certainly  in 
privacy,  a  generation  had  been  spent  in  a  life  as  baro 
nial  as  any  ever  known  in  old  Virginia  in  earlier  days. 
A  day's  ride  to  a  court  house,  two  days  to  a  steamer, 
five  hours  to  get  a  letter  to  or  from  the  occasional 
post  —  these  things  seem  slight  in  a  lifelong  accus- 
tomedness ;  and  here  few  had  had  closer  touch  than 
this  with  civilization. 

The    plantation    itself   was    a    little   kingdom,    and 

largely  supplied  its  own  wants.     Mills,  looms,  shops, 

—  all  these  were  part  of  the  careless  system,  easy  and 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

opulent,  which  found  support  and  gained  arrogance 
from  a  rich  and  generous  environment.  The  old  house 
itself,  if  it  might  be  called  old,  built  as  it  had  been 
scarce  thirty  years  before,  lay  in  the  center  of  a  singu 
lar  valley,  at  the  edge  of  the  Ozark  Hills.  The  lands 
here  were  not  so  rich  as  the  wide  acres  thirty  miles 
or  more  below,  where  on  the  fat  bottom  soil,  black 
and  deep,  the  negroes  raised  in  abundance  the  wealth- 
making  crop  of  the  country.  On  the  contrary,  this, 
although  it  was  the  capital  of  the  vast  Dunwody  hold 
ings  thereabout,  was  chosen  not  for  its  agricultural 
richness  so  much  as  for  its  healthfullness  and  natural 
beauty. 

In  regard  to  these  matters,  the  site  could  not  better 
have  been  selected.  The  valley,  some  three  or  four 
miles  across,  lay  like  a  deep  saucer  pressed  down  into 
the  crest  of  the  last  rise  of  the  Ozarks.  The  sides  of 
the  depression  were  as  regular  as  though  created  by 
the  hands  of  man.  Into  its  upper  extremity  there  ran 
a  little  stream  of  clear  and  unfailing  water,  which  made 
its  entrance  at  an  angle,  so  that  the  rim  of  the  hills 
seemed  scarcely  nicked  by  its  ingress.  This  stream 
crossed  the  floor  of  the  valley,  serving  to  water  the 
farms,  and,  making  its  way  out  of  the  lower  end  by 
a  similar  curious  angle,  broke  off  sharply  and  hid 
itself  among  the  rocks  on  its  way  out  and  down  from 
the  mountains  —  last  trace  of  a  giant  geology  which 
once  dealt  in  continental  terms,  rivers  once  seas,  valleys 
a  thousand  miles  in  length.  Thus,  at  first  sight,  one 
set  down  in  the  valley  might  have  felt  that  it  had 

116 


TALLWOODS 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

neither  inlet  nor  outlet,  but  had  been  created,  panoplied 
and  peopled  by  some  Titanic  power,  and  owned  by  those 
who  neither  knew  nor  desired  any  other  world.  As 
a  matter  of  fact,  the  road  up  through  the  lower  Ozarks 
from  the  great  Mississippi,  which  entered  along  the 
bed  of  the  little  stream,  ended  at  Tallwoods  farm.  Be 
yond  it,  along  the  little  river  which  led  back  into  the 
remote  hills,  it  was  no  more  than  a  horse  path,  and 
used  rarely  except  by  negroes  or  whites  in  hunting 
expeditions  back  into  the  mountains,  where  the  deer, 
the  wild  turkey,  the  bear  and  the  panther  still  roamed 
in  considerable  numbers  at  no  great  distance  from  the 
home  plantation. 

Tallwoods  itself  needed  no  other  fence  than  the 
vast  wall  of  hills,  and  had  none  save  where  here  and 
there  the  native  stone  had  been  heaped  up  roughly  into 
walls,  along  some  orchard  side.  The  fruits  of  the 
apple,  the  pear  and  the  peach  grew  here  handsomely, 
and  the  original  owner  had  planted  such  trees  in  abun 
dance.  The  soil,  though  at  first  it  might  have  been 
called  inhospitable,  showed  itself  productive.  The 
corn  stood  tall  and  strong,  and  here  and  there  the 
brown  stalks  of  the  cotton  plant  itself  might  have  been 
seen;  proof  of  the  wish  of  the  average  Southerner  to 
cultivate  that  plant,  even  in  an  environment  not  wholly 
suitable.  All  about,  upon  the  mountain  sides,  stood 
a  heavy  growth  of  deciduous  trees,  at  this  time  of 
the  year  lining  the  slopes  in  flaming  reds  and  golds. 
Beyond  the  valley's  rim,  tier  on  tier,  stately  and  slow, 
the  mountains  rose  back  for  yet  a  way  —  mountains 

118  * 


rich  in  their  means  of  frontier  independence,  later  to 
be  discovered  rich  also  in  minerals,  in  woods,  in  all 
the  things  required  by  an  advancing  civilization. 

Corn,  swine  and  cotton, —  these  made  the  wealth 
of  the  owner  of  Tallwoods'  plantation  and  of  the  richer 
lands  in  the  river  bottoms  below.  These  products 
brought  the  owner  all  the  wealth  he  needed.  Here, 
like  a  feudal  lord,  master  of  all  about  him,  he  had 
lived  all  his  life  and  had,  as  do  all  created  beings,  taken 
on  the  color  and  the  savor  of  the  environment  about 
him.  Rich,  he  was  generous;  strong,  he  was  merciful; 
independent,  he  was  arrogant ;  used  to  his  own  way, 
he  was  fierce  and  cruel  when  crossed  in  that  way. 
Not  much  difference,  then,  lay  between  this  master  of 
Tallwoods  and  the  owner  of  yonder  castle  along  the 
embattled  Rhine,  or  the  towered  stronghold  of  some 
old  lord  located  along  an  easy,  wandering,  English 
stream;  with  this  to  be  said  in  favor  of  this  solitary 
lord  of  the  wilderness,  that  his  was  a  place  removed 
and  little  known.  It  had  been  passed  by  in  some  man 
ner  through  its  lack  of  appeal  to  those  seeking  cotton 
lands  or  hunting  grounds,  so  that  it  lay  wholly  out  of 
the  ken  and  the  understanding  of  most  folk  of  the  older 
states. 

If  in  Tallwoods  the  owner  might  do  as  he  liked, 
certainly  he  had  elected  first  of  all  to  live  somewhat  as 
a  gentleman.  The  mansion  house  was  modeled  after 
the  somewhat  stereotyped  pattern  of  the  great  country 
places  of  the  South.  Originally  planned  to  consist  of 
the  one  large  central  edifice  of  brick,  with  a  wing  on 

119 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

each  side  of  somewhat  lesser  height,  it  had  never  been 
entirely  completed,  one  wing  only  having  heen  fully 
erected.  The  main  portion  of  the  house  was  of  two 
stories,  its  immediate  front  occupied  by  the  inevitable 
fagade  with  its  four  white  pillars,  which  rose  from  the 
level  of  the  ground  to  the  edge  of  the  roof,  shading 
the  front  entrance  to  the  middle  rooms.  Under  this 
tall  gallery  roof,  whose  front  showed  high,  white  and 
striking  all  across  the  valley,  lay  four  windows,  and 
at  each  side  of  the  great  double  doors  lay  yet  other 
two  windows.  On  either  side  of  the  pillars  and  in  each 
story,  yet  other  two  admitted  light  to  the  great  rooms ; 
and  in  the  completed  wing  which  lay  at  one  side  of 
the  main  building',  deep  embrasures  came  down  al 
most  to  the  level  of  the  ground,  well  hidden  by  the 
grouped  shrubbery  which  grew  close  to  the  walls. 
The  visitor  approaching  up  the  straight  gravel  walk 
might  not  have  noticed  the  heavy  iron  bars  which 
covered  these,  giving  the  place  something  the  look  of 
a  jail  or  a  fortress.  The  shrubs,  carelessly,  and  for 
that  reason  more  attractively  planted,  also  stood  here 
and  there  over  the  wide  and  smooth  bluegrass  lawn. 
The  house  was  built  in  the  edge  of  a  growth  of 
great  oaks  and  elms,  which  threw  their  arms  out  over 
even  the  lofty  gables  as  though  in  protection.  Tradi 
tion  had  it  that  the  reason  the  building  had  never  been 
completed  was  that  the  old  master  \vould  have  been 
obliged  to  cut  down  a  favorite  elm  in  order  to  make 
room  for  it ;  and  he  had  declared  that  since  his  wife 
had  died  and  all  his  children  but  one  had  followed 

120 


TALLWOODS 

her,  the  house  was  large  enough  as  it  was.  So  it 
stood  as  he  had  left  it,  with  its  two  tall  chimneys,  one 
at  each  end  of  the  mid-body  of  the  house,  marking 
the  two  great  fireplaces,  yet  another  chimney  at  the 
other  end  of  the  lesser  wing. 

Straight  through  the  mid-body  of  the  house  ran  a 
wide  hall,  usually  left  open  to  all  the  airs  of  heaven ; 
and  through  this  one  could  see  far  out  over  the  ap 
proach,  entirely  through  the  house  itself,  and  note  the 
framed  picture  beyond  of  woods  glowing  with  foliage, 
and  masses  of  shrubbery,  and  lesser  trees  among  which 
lay  the  white  huts  of  the  negroes.  Still  to  the  left, 
beyond  the  existing  wing,  lay  the  fenced  vegetable 
gardens  where  grew  rankly  all  manner  of  provender 
intended  for  the  bounteous  table,  whose  boast  it  was 
that,  save  for  sugar  and  coffee,  nothing  was  used  at 
Tall  woods  which  was  not  grown  upon  its  grounds. 

So  lived  one,  and  thus  indeed  lived  more  than  one, 
baron  on  American  soil  not  so  long  ago,  when  this 
country  was  more  American  than  it  is  to-day  —  more 
like  the  old  world  in  many  ways,  more  like  a  young 
world  in  many  others.  Here,  for  thirty  years  of  his 
life,  had  lived  the  present  owner  of  Tallwoods,  sole 
male  of  the  family  surviving  in  these  parts. 

It  might  have  been  called  matter  of  course  that  War- 
ville  Dunwody  should  be  chosen  to  the  state  legisla 
ture.  So  chosen,  he  had,  through  sheer  force  of  his 
commanding  nature,  easily  become  a  leader  among 
men  not  without  strength  and  individuality.  Far  up 
in  the  northern  corner,  where  the  capital  of  the  state 

121 


lay,  men  spoke  of  this  place  hid  somewhere  down 
among  the  hills  of  the  lower  country.  Those  who  in 
the  easier  acres  of  the  northwestern  prairie  lands  reared 
their  own  corn  and  swine  and  cotton,  often  wondered 
at  the  half-wild  man  from  St.  Francois,  who  came 
riding  into  the  capital  on  a  blooded  horse,  who  was 
followed  by  negroes  also  on  blooded  horses,  a  self- 
contained  man  who  never  lacked  money,  who  never 
lacked  wit,  whose  hand  was  heavy,  whose  tongue  was 
keen,  whose  mind  was  strong  and  whose  purse  was 
ever  open. 

The  state  which  had  produced  a  Benton  was  now 
building  up  a  rival  to  Benton.  That  giant,  then  round 
ing  out  a  history  of  thirty  years'  continuous  service 
in  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  unlike  the  men  of 
this  weaker  clay,  reserved  the  right  to  his  own  honest 
and  personal  political  belief.  He  steadily  refused  to 
countenance  the  extending  of  slavery,  although  himself 
a  holder  of  slaves ;  and,  although  he  admitted  the  legal- 
ity  and  constitutionality  of  the  Fugitive  Slave  Act,  he 
deplored  that  act  as  much  as  any.  To  the  eventual 
day  of  his  defeat  he  stood,  careless  of  his  fate,  firm 
in  his  own  principles,  going  down  in  defeat  at  last 
because  he  would  not  permit  his  own  state  legislature 
-  headed  then  by  men  such  as  Warville  Dunwody 
and  his  friends  —  to  dictate  to  him  the  workings  of 
his  own  conscience.  Stronger  than  Daniel  Webster, 
he  was  one  of  those  who  would  not  obey  the  dictates 
of  that  leader,  and  he  did  set  up  his  "  conscience  above 

122 


TALLWOODS 

the  law."  These  two  men,  Benton  and  Dunwody, 
therefore,  were  at  the  time  of  which  we  write  two 
gladiators  upon  the  scenes  of  a  wild  western  region, 
as  yet  little  known  in  the  eastern  states,  though  then 
swiftly  coming  forward  into  more  specific  notice. 

Perhaps  thirty  or  forty  slaves  were  employed  about 
Tallwoods  home  farm,  as  it  was  called.  They  did 
their  work  much  as  they  liked,  in  a  way  not  grudging 
for  the  main  part.  Idle  and  shiftless,  relying  on  the 
frequent  absence  of  the  master  and  the  ease  of  gain 
ing  a  living,  they  worked  no  more  than  was  necessary 
to  keep  up  a  semblance  of  routine.  In  some  way  the 
acres  got  plowed  and  reaped,  in  some  way  the  meats 
were  cured,  in  some  way  the  animals  were  fed  and  the 
table  was  served  and  the  rooms  kept  in  a  semi-tidiness, 
none  too  scrupulous.  Always  in  Tallwoods  there  was 
something  at  hand  ready  to  eat,  and  there  was  fuel 
whereby  fires  might  be  made.  Such  as  it  was,  the 
hospitality  of  the  place  was  ready.  It  was  a  rich,  loose 
way  of  life,  and  went  on  lazily  and  loosely,  like  the 
fashion  of  some  roomy  old  vehicle,  not  quite  run  down, 
but  advancing  now  and  then  with  a  groan  or  a  creak 
at  tasks  imposed. 

But  now,  another  and  most  important  matter  for 
our  note  —  there  was  no  woman's  hand  at  Tallwoods. 
The  care  was  that  of  servants,  of  slaves.  When  things 
grew  insupportable  in  their  shiftlessness  the  master 
lashed  out  an  order  and  got  what  he  demanded;  then 
soon  matters  sank  back  again  to  their  old  state.  None 

123 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

might  tell  when  the  master  would  ride  away,  and  when 
gone  none  could  say  when  he  would  return.  Since 
the  death  of  his  mother  no  woman's  control  had  ruled 
here,  nor,  in  spite  of  the  busy  tongues  at  the  larger 
cities  above,,  did  there  seem  likelihood  that  any  would 
soon  share  or  alter  the  fortunes  of  Tallwoods.  Ru 
mors  floated  here  and  there,  tongues  wagged;  but 
Tallwoods  lay  apart;  and  Tallwoods,  as  commonly 
was  conceded,  had  ways  of  its  own. 

It  was  to  these  remote  and  somewhat  singular  sur 
roundings  that  there  approached,  on  the  evening  of 
a  bland  autumn  day,  along  the  winding  road  which 
followed  the  little  stream,  the  great  coach  of  the  mas 
ter  of  Tallwoods,  drawn  by  four  blooded  carriage 
horses,  weary,  mud-stained  and  flecked  with  foam. 
At  the  end  of  the  valley,  where  the  road  emerged  from 
its  hidden  course  among  the  cliffs,  the  carriage  now 
halted.  Dunwody  himself  sprang  down  from  the 
driver's  seat  where  he  had  been  riding  in  order  to  give 
the  occupants  of  the  coach  the  more  room.  He  ap 
proached  the  window,  hat  in  hand. 

"  My  dear  lady,"  said  he,  "  this  is  the  end  of  our 
journey.  Yonder  is  my  home.  Will  you  not  look  at 
it?" 

It  was  a  pale  and  languid  face  which  greeted  him, 
the  face  of  a  woman  weary  and  even  now  in  tears. 
Hastily  she  sought  to  conceal  these  evidences  of  her 
distress.  It  was  the  first  time  he  had  seen  her  weep 
ing.  Hitherto  her  courage  had  kept  her  cold  and  de- 

124 


HE   APPROACHED  THE   WINDOW,    HAT  IN    HAND 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

fiant,  else  hot  and  full  of  reproofs.  This  spectacle  gave 
him  concern.  His  face  took  on  a  troubled  frown. 

"  Come  now,  do  not  weep,  my  dear  girl, —  anything 
but  that." 

"  What,  then,  is  it  you  would  say?  "  she  demanded. 
"  It  makes  little  difference  to  me  where  you  are  taking 
me." 

He  threw  open  the  coach  door  and  extended  a  hand 
to  aid  her  in  alighting.  "  Suppose  we  walk  up  from 
here,"  he  said.  "  I  know  you  are  tired  by  the  ride. 
Besides,"  he  added,  with  pride,  "  I  want  to  show  you 
Tallwoods." 

Scarce  touching  his  hand,  she  stepped  down.  Dim- 
wody  motioned  to  the  driver  to  advance,  and  in  spite  of 
the  protests  of  the  maid  Jeanne,  thus  left  alone  within, 
the  coach  rolled  on  up  the  driveway  ahead  of  them. 

It  was  in  fact  a  beautiful  prospect  which  lay  be 
fore  the  travelers  thus  arrived.  The  sun  was  low  in 
the  west,  approaching  the  rim  of  the  hills,  and  its  level 
rays  lighted  the  autumn  foliage,  crossed  the  great  trees, 
brightened  the  tall  white  pillars.  It  even  illuminated 
the  grounds  beyond,  so  that  quite  through  the  body 
of  the  house  itself  its  golden  light  could  be  seen  on 
the  farther  slopes,  framing  the  quaint  and  singular 
picture  thus  set  apart.  All  around  rose  the  wide  cup 
of  the  valley,  its  sides  as  yet  covered  by  unbroken 
decoration  of  vivid  or  parti-colored  foliage.  Here  and 
there  the  vivid  reds  of  the  wild  sumac  broke  out  in 
riot ;  framed  lower  in  the  scale  were  patches  of  berry 
vines  touched  by  the  frost ;  while  now  and  again  a 

126 


TALLWOODS 

maple  lifted  aloft  a  fan  of  clean  scarlet  against  the  sky, 
—  all  backed  by  the  more  somber  colors  of  the  oaks 
and  elms,  or  the  now  almost  naked  branches  of  the 
lindens. 

These  enfolding  forests  gave  a  look  of  protectedness 
to  this  secret  place.  They  left  a  feeling  not  of  discom 
fort  but  of  shelter.  Moreover,  the  grass  underfoot 
\vas  soft  and  still  green.  Some  sort  of  comeliness, 
picturesque  though  rude,  showed  in  the  scant  attempts 
to  modify  nature  in  the  arrangement  of  the  grounds. 
And  there,  noble  and  strong,  upon  a  little  eminence 
swelling  at  the  bottom  of  the  valley's  cup,  lay  the  great 
house,  rude,  unfinished,  yet  dignified.  If  it  seemed 
just  this  side  of  elegance,  yet  the  look  of  it  savored  of 
comfort.  To  a  woman  distracted  and  wearied  it 
should  have  offered  some  sort  of  rest.  To  her  who 
now  gazed  upon  it  the  sight  afforded  only  horror. 
This  then  was  the  place.  Here  was  to  be  her  trial. 
This  was  the  battle-ground. 

Dunwody  lingered,  hoping  to  hear  some  word  of 
satisfaction. 

'  The  hills  are  beautiful,  the  trees  are  beautiful,  and 
the  sky,"  she  said,  at  length.  "  What  God  has  done 
here  is  beautiful.  But  God  Himself  is  gone." 

Rage  filled  him  suddenly.  "  At  any  rate,  this  is 
what  I  have  and  all  I  have,"  he  said.  "  Like  it, 
woman,  or  by  that  God !  hate  it !  Here  you  are,  and 
here  you  stay,  until  —  until  I  die  or  until  God  returns. 
You  are  the  only  woman  in  it  for  me  when  you  step 
into  that  house  there.  You  are  its  mistress.  I  rule 

127 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

here.  But  what  you  want  shall  be  yours  at  any  time 
you  want  it.  You  can  think  of  nothing  in  the  world 
that  shall  not  be  brought  to  you  when  you  ask  for  it. 
My  servants  are  yours.  Choose  from  them  as  many 
as  you  like." 

"  Slaves  for  your  slave  ?  You  are  full  of  kindness 
indeed !  But  I  shall  never  be  what  you  delicately  call 
the  mistress  of  Tallwoods." 

"  By  the  Lord !  girl,  if  I  thought  that  would  be  true 
—  if  I  thought  for  one  moment  that  it  were  true  — 
in  a  half- frenzy  he  threw  out  his  arm,  rigid.  An 
instant  later  he  had  lapsed  into  one  of  the  moods  new 
to  him.  "  There  is  no  punishment  I  don't  deserve," 
he  said.  "  All  the  time  I  have  hurt  you,  when  I'd 
rather  cut  my  tongue  out  than  hurt  you.  I've  seen 
you,  these  few  days,  God  knows,  at  the  hardest  —  me 
at  the  worst  —  you  at  the  worst.  But  your  worst  is 
better  than  the  best  of  any  other  woman  I  ever  saw. 
I'm  going  to  have  you.  It's  you  or  nothing  for  me, 
and  I'm  going  to  have  you.  Choose  your  own  title 
here,  then,  Madam.  This  is  your  home  or  your  prison, 
as  you  like." 

For  a  moment  Josephine  paused,  looking  around  her 
at  the  surrounding  hills.  He  seemed  to  catch  her 
thought,  and  smiled  at  her. 

"  Twenty  miles  to  the  nearest  house  that  way, 
Madam.  None  at  all  that  other  way.  Every  path 
known  and  guarded  by  my  people.  No  paths  at  all  in 
these  hills  out  yonder.  Wild  animals  in  them,  little 
food  in  them  for  man  or  woman  not  used  to  living 

128 


TALLWOODS 

wild.  You  would  be  helpless  in  one  day,  if  you  tried 
to  get  out.  \Ye'd  find  you  before  you'd  gone  five 
miles.  Don't  attempt  any  foolishness  about  trying  to 
escape  from  here.  You're  mine,  I  say.  I  shall  not 
let  you  go." 

Yet  in  spite  of  his  savagery,  his  face  softened  in 
the  next  moment.  "  If  it  could  only  be  in  the  right 
way!  Look  at  me,  look  at  you.  You're  so  very 
beautiful,  I'm  so  strong.  There  is  only  one  right  way 
about  it.  Oh,  woman ! 

"  But  come,"  he  resumed  with  a  half  sigh,  seeking 
in  a  rough  way  to  brush  back  a  wisp  of  hair  from  his 
forehead,  to  join  the  tangled  mane  upon  his  crest;  "  I 
hate  myself  as  much  as  you  hate  me,  but  it's  your 
fault  —  your  fault  that  you  are  as  you  are  —  that  you 
set  me  mad.  Let's  try  to  forget  it  for  to-night,  at 
least.  You're  tired,  worn  out.  I'm  almost  tired 
myself,  with  all  this  war  between  us." 

She  was  silent  as  they  slowly  advanced,  silent  as 
a  prisoner  facing  prison  doors;  but  he  still  went  on, 
arguing. 

"  Think  of  what  you  could  do  here,  how  happy  we 
could  be  here.  Think  of  what  we  could  do,  together. 
There  isn't  anything  I  wouldn't  try  to  do.  Why,  I 
could  do  anything;  and  I'd  bring  everything  I  got, 
everything,  back  to  you, —  and  set  it  down  at  your  feet 
and  say,  '  I  brought  you  this.'  What  would  I  care  for 
it,  alone  ?  What  does  it  mean  to  me  ?  What  glory  or 
success  do  I  want?  Without  you,  what  does  all  this 
world,  all  my  life,  all  I  can  do,  mean  to  me  after  this  ? 

129 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

I  knew  long  ago  I  couldn't  be  happy,  but  I  didn't  know 
why.  I  know  now  what  I  wanted,  all  along.  I  can 
do  something  in  the  world,  I  can  succeed,  I  can  be 
somebody  now  —  and  now  I  want  to,  want  to !  Oh, 
I've  lacked  so  much,  I've  longed  so  much.  Some  way 
the  world  didn't  seem  made  right.  I  wondered,  I  puz 
zled,  I  didn't  know,  I  couldn't  understand  —  I  thought 
all  the  world  was  made  to  be  unhappy  — -  but  it  isn't, 
it's  made  for  happiness,  for  joy,  for  exultation.  Why, 
I  can  see  it  plainly  enough  now  —  all  straight  out, 
ahead  of  me, —  all  straight  ahead  of  us  two !  " 

"  How  like  a  man  you  are !  "  she  said  slowly.  '*  You 
seek  your  own  success,  although  your  path  lies  over  a 
woman's  disgrace  and  ruin." 

"  Haven't  you  ever  thought  of  the  other  side  of  this 
at  all  ?  Can't  a  woman  ever  think  of  mercy  to  a  man  ? 
Can't  she  ever  blame  herself  just  for  being  Eve,  for 
being  the  incarnate  temptation  that  she  is  to  any  real 
man  ?  Can't  she  see  what  she  is  to  him  ?  You  talk 
about  ruin  —  I  tell  you  it's  ruin  here,  sure  as  we  are 
born,  for  one  or  both  of  us.  I  reckon  maybe  it's  for 
both." 

"  Yes,  it  is  for  both." 

"No,  I'll  not  admit  it!"  he  blazed  out.  "If  I've 
been  strong  enough  to  pull  you  down,  I'm  strong 
enough  to  carry  you  up  again.  Only,  don't  force  the 
worst  part  of  me  to  the  front  all  the  time." 

"  A  gentle  wooer,  indeed !  And  yet  you  blame  me 
that  I  can  not  see  a  man's  side  in  a  case  like  this." 

"  But  in  God's  name,  why  should  a  man  see  any  but 
130 


TALLWOODS 

a  man's  side  of  it?  Things  don't  go  by  reason,  after 
all.  The  world  goes,  I  reckon,  because  there  is  a 
man's  side  to  it.  Anyhow,  I  am  as  I  am.  Whatever 
you  do  here,  whatever  you  are,  don't  try  to  wheedle 
me,  nor  ask  me  to  see  your  side,  when  there  is  only 
one  side  to  this.  If  any  man  ever  lifted  hand  or  eye 
to  you,  I'd  kill  him.  I'll  not  give  up  one  jot  of  the 
right  I've  got  in  you,  little  as  it  is  —  I've  taken  the 
right  to  hold  you  here  and  talk  to  you.  But  when  you 
say  you'll  not  listen  to  me,  then  you  do  run  against  my 
side  of  it,  my  man's  side  of  it ;  and  I  tell  you  once  more, 
I'm  the  owner  of  this  place.  I  live  here.  It's  mine. 
I  rule  here,  over  free  and  thrall." 

With  rude  strength  and  pride  he  swept  an  arm 
widely  around  him,  covering  half  the  circle  of  the  val 
ley.  "  It's  mine!  "  he  said  slowly.  "  Fit  for  a  king, 
isn't  it?  Yes,  fit  for  a  queen.  It  is  almost  fit  for 
you." 

His  hat  was  in  his  hand.  The  breeze  of  the  even 
ing,  drawing  down  the  valley,  now  somewhat  chilled, 
lifted  the  loose  hair  on  his  forehead.  He  stood,  big, 
bulky  and  strong,  like  some  war  lord  of  older  days. 
The  argument  on  his  lips  was  that  of  the  day  of  skins 
and  stone. 

She  who  stood  at  his  side,  this  prisoner  of  his  prow 
ess,  taken  by  his  ruthless  disregard  of  wish  or  rights  of 
others,  stood  even  with  his  shoulder,  tall,  deep- 
bosomed,  comely,  as  fair  and  fit  and  womanly  a  woman 
as  man's  need  has  asked  in  any  age  of  the  world.  In 
the  evening  light  the  tears  which  had  wet  her  eyes  were 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

less  visible.  She  might  indeed  have  been  fit  queen  for 
a  spot  like  this,  mate  for  a  man  like  this. 

And  now  the  chill  of  autumn  lay  in  the  twilight. 
Night  was  coming  —  the  time  when  all  creatures,  save 
ravening  night  feeders,  feel  apprehension,  crave  shelter, 
search  out  a  haven  for  repose.  This  woman  was  alone 
and  weary,  much  in  need  of  some  place  to  rest  her  head. 
Every  fiber  in  her  heart  craved  shelter,  comfort,  se 
curity,  protection. 

Dunwody  turned,  offered  her  a  hand,  and  led  her 
to  the  wide  double  doors. 


132 


CHAPTER  X 

FREE    AND    THRALL 

4  4  Ol  ALLY,  come  here,"  called  Dumvody  to  one  of 
|^  the  row  of  grinning  negro  servants  who  were 
loosely  lined  up  in  the  hall,  as  much  in  curiosity  as 
deference,  to  give  their  master  his  only  welcome  home. 
"  Take  this  lady  up  to  the  room  in  the  east  part.  See 
that  she  has  everything  she  wants.  She  is  not  to  be 
disturbed  there  until  morning,  do  you  hear,  Sally? 
When  you  come  down  I  want  to  see  you  again.  You 
others  there,  make  your  duty  to  this  lady.  Call  her 
Miss  Josephine.  When  she  wants  anything,  you  jump 
and  get  it.  Go  on,  now." 

They  scattered  grinning,  all  but  the  bent  and  griz 
zled  old  woman  Sally,  who  now  came  forward.  She 
looked  with  blank  brown  eyes  at  the  new-comer,  herself 
inscrutable  as  the  Sphinx.  If  she  commented  mentally 
on  the  droop  of  the  young  woman's  mouth  and  eyes,  at 
least  she  said  nothing.  It  was  not  her  place  to  ask 
what  white  folk  did,  or  why.  She  took  up  the  travel 
ing-bags  and  led  the  way  up  the  narrow  stairway  which 
made  out  of  the  central  hall. 

"  Sally,"  said  Josephine,  turning,  when  they  reached 
the  stairway,  "  where's  my  own  maid  —  the  other  — 
Jeanne?  " 

133 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  I  dunno,  Ma'am,"  said  Sally.  "  I  reckon  she's  all 
right,  though.  Dis  heah's  yuah  room,  Ma'am,  if  you 
please."  She  shuffled  ahead,  into  a  tall  and  wide 
room,  which  overlooked  the  lawn  and  the  approaching 
road. 

Once  alone,  Josephine  flung  herself  face  downward 
upon  the  bed  and  burst  into  a  storm  of  tears,  her  fine 
courage  for  once  outworn.  She  wept  until  utterly 
spent.  Sally,  after  leaving  the  room,  had  returned  un 
noticed,  and  when  at  last  Josephine  turned  about  she 
saw  the  old  woman  standing  there.  A  hard  hand 
gently  edged  under  her  heaving  shoulder.  "  Thah 
now,  honey,  doan'  cry!  God  A'mighty,  girl,  doan' 
cry  dat-a-way.  What  is  wrong,  tell  me."  Sym 
pathy  even  of  this  sort  was  balm  to  a  woman  wholly 
unnerved.  Josephine  found  her  head  on  the  old  negro 
woman's  shoulder. 

"  Now  you  jus'  lay  right  quiet,  Ma'am,"  went  on 
Sally.  "  I'se  gwine  to  git  you  a  little  something  warm 
to  drink  and  something  to  eat  right  soon,  and  den  I'se 
gwine  put  you-all  to  bed  nice  and  clean,  and  in  de 
mawnin'  you'll  feel  like  you  was  anotheh  lady,  you  sut- 
tinly  will,  Ma'am." 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  demanded  Josephine,  turning  to 
look  into  the  old  and  wrinkled  face. 

"  I'se  jus'  Sally." 

"  I  suppose  you  are  keeper  of  the  prison,"  com 
mented  Josephine  bitterly. 

"  Dis  ain't  no  prisum,  Ma'am.  I'se  bin  heah  a  long 
time  'mong  dese  triflin'  niggahs.  Dis  ain't  no  prisum 

134 


HER  FINE  COURAGE  FOR  ONCE  OUTWORN 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

—  but  God  knows,  Ma'am,  we  needs  &  lady  heah  to 
run  things.     Is  you  come  foh  dat?  " 

"  No,  no,"  said  Josephine.     "  I'm  just  —  I'm  just 

—  I'm  going  away  as  soon  as  I  can." 

"  Sho,  now  !     Huc'cum  you  heah,  Ma'am  ?  " 

"  It  was  a  mistake." 

"  I  didn't  know  white  folks  evah  done  nothin'  they 
didn't  want  to  do,"  commented  Sally.  "  But  doan' 
you  mind.  Ef  you  wants  me,  jes'  call  for  Sally." 

"  Tell  me,  Sally,  isn't  there  any  Mrs.  Dunwody 
here  ?  "  demanded  Josephine  suddenly. 

The  face  of  the  old  woman  remained  inscrutable, 
and  Josephine  could  see  no  sign  except  that  a  sort  of 
film  crossed  her  eyes,  as  though  veiling  some  inmost 
thought. 

"  Ef  dey  was,  I  doan'  reckon  yon-all  would  have 
come  heah,  would  you?  Now  you  lay  down  and  git 
comf'table.  Doan'  you  worry  none,  Ma'am.  You 
gwine  be  fine,  by  mawnin'.  You  suttinly  is  a  right 
handsome  lady,  Ma'am !  " 

The  old  woman  shuffled  from  the  room,  to  join  her 
master  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 

"  Where  is  she,  Sally?  "  demanded  Dunwody,  "  and 
how  is  she  ?  " 

"  She's  right  tired,  suh,"  said  Sally  non-committally. 
And  then,  "  Mighty  fine  lookin'  lady,  suh.  An'  she 
is  a  lady!  Huc'cum  her  here,  Marse  Warv'l?  Whut 
you-all— " 

"  What  did  she  say  to  you  ?  " 
136 


FREE  AND  THRALL 

"  Nothin'  'cept  she's  gvvine  git  away  right  soon. 
White  folkes'  business  ain't  none  o'  my  business." 

"  Well,  never  you  mind  about  all  that,  Sally.  Now 
listen.  It's  your  business  to  keep  her  there,  in  that 
room.  When  she  wants  anything,  get  it.  But  don't 
you  talk  to  her,  you  understand.  I  reckon  you  do  un 
derstand,  don't  you?  " 

"  I  reckon  I  does,  suh." 

"  Well,  all  right  then.  If  she  goes  to  walk,  keep 
her  in  sight.  She  doesn't  send  out  letters  to  any  one, 
and  doesn't  talk  to  strangers,  do  you  understand?  " 

"  I  reckon  I  does,  suh." 

Old  Sally  stood  looking  at  him  for  a  time  with  her 
small  brown  eyes  half-covered  under  her  gray  brows. 
At  last,  with  something  of  the  liberty  of  the  old  servant 
she  said,  "  Marster,  is  married  to  dat  dere  lady?  Ef 
you  isn't,  is  you  gwine  marry  her?  " 

"  If  I  told  you  you'd  know  too  much,  Sally.  It's 
enough  for  you  to  know  that  you're  responsible  for 
her.  If  she  turns  up  missing  any  time,  you'll  be  miss 
ing  yourself  not  long  after." 

"  I  reckon  I  will,"  said  Sally  chuckling ;  and  then 
shuffled  off  about  her  own  duties. 


137 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE   GARMENTS    OF    ANOTHER 

LEFT  alone,  Josephine  St.  Auban  at  last  at 
tempted  to  pull  herself  together.  With  the  in 
stinct  of  a  newly  caged  animal,  she  made  a  little  tour 
of  the  room.  First  she  noted  the  depth  of  the  win 
dows,  their  height  above  the  ground.  No  escape 
there,  that  was  sure  —  unless  one,  cat-like,  could  climb 
down  this  light  ladder  up  which  the  ivy  ran  between 
the  cornice  and  the  ground.  No,  it  was  a  prison. 

In  the  room  itself  were  good  yet  simple  furnishings. 
The  wall  paper  was  of  a  small  and  ancient  figuring. 
In  places  it  hung  torn.  The  furniture  was  old  ma 
hogany,  apparently  made  in  an  earlier  generation. 
An  engraving  or  so  hung  askew  upon  the  wall,  a 
broken  bust  stood  on  a  bracket.  The  tall  tester  bed, 
decorated  with  a  patchwork  silken  covering,  showed 
signs  of  comfort,  but  was  neither  modern  nor  over 
neat.  The  room  was  not  furnished  in  poverty,  but  its 
spirit,  its  atmosphere,  its  feeling,  lacked  something,  a 
woman  could  have  told  what. 

She  pushed  back  the  heavy  dresser,  but  the  wall 
was  without  opening  behind  it.  She  looked  for  the  key 
to  the  door,  and  was  glad  to  find  the  lock  in  order. 

138 


THE  GARMENTS  OF  ANOTHER 

For  the  first  time  now  she  laid  off  her  bonnet,  unfas 
tened  her  wrap.  With  a  hand  which  trembled  she 
made  some  sort  of  attempt  at  toilet,  staring  into  the 
mirror  at  a  face  scarcely  recognized  as  her  own.  The 
corners  of  its  mouth  were  drooping  plaintively.  A 
faint  blue  lay  beneath  the  eyes. 

She  faced  the  fact  that  she  must  pass  the  night 
alone.  If  it  is  at  night  that  the  shadows  fall  upon  the 
soul,  then  most  of  all  does  woman,  weak  and  timorous 
animal,  long  for  some  safe  and  accustomed  refuge 
place,  for  a  home ;  and  most  of  all  does  she  shrink  from 
unfamiliar  surroundings.  Yet  she  slept,  wearied  to  ex 
haustion.  The  night  was  cool,  the  air  fresh  from  the 
mountains  coming  in  through  the  opened  window,  and 
bringing  with  it  calm. 

Dawn  came.  A  chirping  cedar  bird,  busy  in  the 
near-by  shrubbery,  wakened  her  with  a  care-free  note. 
She  started  up  and  gazed  out  with  that  sudden  wonder 
and  terror  which  at  times  seize  upon  us  when  we  awake 
in  strange  environment.  Youth  and  vitality  resumed 
sway.  She  was  alive,  then.  The  night  had  passed, 
then.  She  was  as  she  had  been,  herself,  her  own,  still. 
The  surge  of  young  blood  came  back  in  her  veins. 
The  morning  was  there,  the  hills  were  there, 
the  world  was  there.  Hope  began  once  more  with 
the  throb  of  her  perfect  pulse.  She  stretched  a  round 
white  arm  and  looked  down  it  to  her  hand.  She  held 
up  her  fingers  against  the  light,  and  the  blood  in  them, 
the  soul  in  them,  showed  pink  and  clean  between. 
Slowly  she  pushed  down  the  patchwork  silk.  There 

139 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

lay  her  splendid  limbs  and  body.  Yes,  it  was  she,  it 
was  herself,  her  own.  Yes,  she  would  live,  she  would 
succeed,  she  would  win!  All  of  which,  of  course, 
meant  to  her  but  one  thing  —  escape. 

A  knock  came  at  the  door,  really  for  the  third  time, 
although  for  the  first  time  heard.  Old  Sally  entered, 
bearing  her  tray,  with  coffee. 

"  Now  you  lay  right  still  whah  you  is,  Ma'am,"  she 
began.  "  You-all  wants  a  li'l  bit  o'  coffee.  Then  I'll 
bring  you  up  some  real  breakfus' —  how  you  like 
yuah  aigs?  Ma'am,  you  suttinly  is  lookin'  fine  dis 
mawnin'.  I'll  fetch  you  yuah  tub  o'  watah  right  soon 
now." 

In  spite  of  herself  Josephine  found  herself  un 
able  to  resist  interest  in  these  proceedings.  After  all, 
her  prison  was  not  to  be  without  its  comforts.  She 
hoped  the  eggs  would  be  more  than  two. 

The  old  serving  woman  slowly  moved  about  here 
and  there  in  the  apartment,  intent  upon  duties  of  her 
own.  While  thus  engaged,  Josephine,  standing  fem 
ininely  engaged  before  her  glass,  chanced  to  catch  sight 
of  her  in  the  mirror.  She  had  swiftly  slipped  over 
and  opened  the  door  of  a  wardrobe.  Over  her  arm 
now  was  some  feminine  garment. 

"What  have  you  there?"  demanded  Josephine, 
turning  as  swiftly. 

"  Jus'  some  things  I'se  gwine  take  away  to  make 
room  for  you,  tha'ss  all,  Ma'am." 

Josephine  approached  and  took  up  in  her  own  hands 
these  evidences  of  an  earlier  occupancy  of  the  room. 

140 


THEY   WERE  GARMENTS   OF   A   DAY   GONE  BY 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

They  were  garments  of  a  day  gone  by.  The  silks  were 
faded,  dingy,  worn  in  the  creases  from  sheer  disuse. 
Apparently  they  had  hung  untouched  for  some  time. 

"  Whose  were  these,  Sally  ?  "  demanded  Josephine. 

"  I  dunno,  Ma'am.  I'se  been  mos'ly  in  the  kitchen, 
Ma'am." 

Josephine  regarded  her  closely.  No  sign  of  emo 
tion  showed  on  that  brown  mask.  The  gray  brows 
above  the  small  eyes  did  not  flicker.  "  I  suppose  these 
may  have  belonged  to  Mr.  Dunwody's  mother,"  said 
Josephine  carelessly. 

"  Yassam ! " 

"His  sister?" 

"Yassam!" 

"  Or  his  wife,  perhaps?  " 

"Yassam,  ef  they  really  wuz  one." 

"Was  there  ever?"   demanded  Josephine  sharply. 

"  Might  a-been  none,  er  might  a-been  a  dozen,  fur's 
I  know.  Us  folks  don'  study  much  'bout  whut  white 
folks  does." 

"  You  must  have  known  if  there  was  any  such  person 
about  —  you've  been  here  for  years.  Don't  talk  non 
sense  !  " 

Temptation  showed  on  Sally's  face.  The  next  in 
stant  the  film  came  again  over  the  small  brown  eyes, 
the  mask  shut  down  again,  as  the  ancient  negro  racial 
secretiveness  resumed  sway.  Josephine  did  not  ask 
for  what  she  knew  would  be  a  lie. 

"  Where  is  my  own  maid,  Jeanne?  "  she  demanded. 
"  I  am  anxious  about  her." 

142 


THE  GARMENTS  OF  ANOTHER 

"  I  dunno,  Ma'am." 

"  Is  she  safe  —  has  she  been  cared  for  ?  ' 

"  I  reckon  she's  all  right." 

"  Can  you  bring  her  to  me  ?  " 

"  I'll  try,  Ma'am." 

But  breakfast  passed  and  no  Jeanne  appeared. 
From  the  great  house  came  no  sounds  of  human  oc 
cupancy.  Better  struggle,  conflict,  than  this  ominous 
waiting,  this  silence,  here  in  this  place  of  infamy,  this 
home  of  horror,  this  house  of  some  other  woman.  It 
was  with  a  sense  of  relief  that  at  length  she  heard  a 
human  voice. 

Outside,  beneath  the  window,  quavering  sounds 
rose.  The  words  were  French,  Canadian  French, 
scarce  distinguishable  to  an  ear  trained  only  in  the 
Old  \Yorld.  It  was  an  old  man  singing,  the  air  per 
haps  that  of  some  old  chanson  of  his  own  country,  sung 
by  villagers  long  before  : 

"  Souvenirs  du  jeune  age 
Sont  gravis  dans  mon  cocur, 
Qnand  je  pense  an  village, 
Rcvcnant  du  bonheur — 

The  old  voice  halted,  at  length  resuming,  idly : 
"  Qnand  je  pense  —  qnand  je  pense."  Then  after 
humming  the  air  for  a  little  time  it  broke  out  as  though 
in  the  chorus,  bold  and  strong : 

"  Rendez-moi  ma  patrie,  on  laisses-moi  mourir!" 
143 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

The  words  came  to  her  with  a  sudden  thrill.  What 
did  they  not  mean  to  the  alien,  to  the  prisoner,  to  the 
outcast,  anywhere  in  all  the  world !  "  Give  me  back 
my  country,  or  let  me  die !  " 

She  stepped  to  the  window  and  looked  clown.  An 
old  man,  brown,  bent  and  wrinkled,  was  digging  about 
the  shrubbery,  perhaps  preparing  some  of  the  plants 
for  their  winter  sleep.  He  was  clad  in  leather  and 
linsey,  and  seemed  ancient  as  the  hills.  He  resumed 
his  song.  Josephine  leaned  out  from  the  casement  and 
softly  joined  in  the  refrain: 

ee Rendea-moi  ma  patrlc,  on  laisscz-moi  mourir!" 

The  old  man  dropped  his  spade.  "  Mon  Dieu!"  he 
exclaimed,  and  looked  all  about,  around,  then  at 
last  up. 

"Ah!  Bon  jour,  Mademoiselle!"  he  said,  smiling 
and  taking  off  his  old  fur  cap.  "  You  spik  also  my 
language,  Mademoiselle?" 

"Mais  oui,  Monsieur,"  rejoined  Josephine;  and  ad 
dressed  him  further  in  a  few  sentences  on  trivial  topics. 
Then,  suddenly  resolved,  she  stepped  out  of  her  own 
room,  passed  softly  down  the  stair,  out  through  the 
wide  central  hall,  and  so,  having  encountered  no  one, 
joined  the  ancient  man  on  the  lawn.  It  chanced  he 
had  been  at  labor  directly  in  front  of  one  of  the  barred 
lower  windows.  He  now  left  his  spade  and  stepped 
apart,  essaying  now  a  little  broken  English. 

"  You  seeng  my  song  also,  Mademoiselle  ?  You 
144 


AN   OLD   MAN,   BROWN,   BENT  AND  WRINKLED 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

like  the  old  song  from  Canadian  village,  aye  ?  I  seeng 
heem  many  tarn,  me." 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  demanded  Josephine. 

"  Me,  I  am  Eleazar,  the  ol'  trap'  man.  Summers,  I 
work  here  for  Monsieur  Dunwodee.  Verr'  reech  man, 
Monsieur  Dunwodee.  He  say,  '  Eleazar,  you  live 
here,  all  right.'  When  winter  come  I  go  back  in  the 
heel,  trap  ze  fur-r,  Madame,  ze  cat,  ze  h'ottaire,  ze 
meenk,  sometime  ze  coon,  also  ze  skonk.  Pret'  soon 
I'll  go  h'out  for  trap  now,  Mademoiselle." 

"  How  long  have  you  been  here,  Eleazar  ? "  she 
asked. 

"  Many  year,  Mademoiselle.  In  these  co'ntree  per 
haps  twent' —  thirt'  year,  I'll  don'  know." 

"Were  you  here  when  the  lady  lived  here?"  she 
demanded  of  him  directly. 

He  frowned  at  this  suddenly.  "  I'll  not  know  what 
you  mean,  Mademoiselle." 

"  I  mean  the  other  lady,  the  wife  of  Mr.  Dunwody." 

"  My  faith !  Monsieur  Dunwody  he'll  live  IT  alone 
here,  h'all  tarn." 

She  affected  not  to  understand  him.  "  How  long 
since  she  was  here,  Eleazar  ?  "  she  demanded. 

"What  for  you'll  talk  like  those  to  me?  I'll  not 
know  nossing,  Mademoiselle.  I'll  not  even  know  who 
is  Mademoiselle,  or  why  she'll  been  here,  me.  I'll  not 
know  for  say,  whether  '  Madame,'  whether  '  Made 
moiselle.'  Mais  '  Mademoiselle  '-—  qne  je  pense." 

She  looked  about  her  hastily.  "  I'm  here  against 
146 


THE  GARMENTS  OF  ANOTHER 

my  wish,  Eleazar.  I  want  to  get  away  from  here  as 
soon  as  I  can." 

He  drew  away  in  sudden  fright.  "  I'll  not  know 
nossing  at  all,  me,"  he  reiterated. 

"  Eleazar,  you  like  money  perhaps?  " 

"  Of  course,  yes.     Tout  le  monde  il  aime  I'argent." 

"  Then  listen,  Eleazar.  Some  day  we  will  walk, 
perhaps.  How  far  is  it  to  Cape  Girardeau,  where  the 
French  people  live  ?  " 

"  My  son  Hector  he'll  live  there  wance,  on  Cap' 
Girardeau.  He'll  make  the  tub,  make  the  cask,  make 
the  barrel.  Cap'  Girardeau,  oh,  perhaps  two — t'ree 
day.  Me,  I  walk  heem  once,  maybe  so  feefty  mile, 
maybe  so  seexty  mile,  in  wan  day,  two-t'ree  a  little 
more  tarn,  me.  I  was  more  younger  then.  But  now 
my  son  he'll  live  on  St.  Genevieve,  French  place  there, 
perhaps  thirtee  mile.  Cap'  Girardeau,  seventy-five 
mile.  You'll  want  for  go  there?  "  he  added  cunningly. 

"  Sometime,"  she  remarked  calmly.  Eleazar  was 
shrewd  in  his  own  way.  He  strolled  off  to  find  his 
spade. 

Before  she  could  resume  the  conversation  Josephine 
heard  behind  her  in  the  hall  a  step,  which  already  she 
recognized.  Dunwody  greeted  her  at  the  door,  frown 
ing  as  he  saw  her  sudden  shrinking  back  at  sight  of  him. 

"  Good  morning,"  he  said.  "  You  have,  I  hope, 
slept  well.  Have  you  and  Eleazar  here  planned  any 
way  to  escape  as  yet?"  He  smiled  at  her  grimly. 
Eleazar  had  shuffled  away. 

147 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Not  yet." 

"  You  had  not  come  along  so  far  as  details  then ; " 
smilingly. 

"  You  intruded  too  soon." 

"  At  least  you  are  frank,  then !  You  will  never 
get  away  from  here  excepting  on  one  condition." 

She  made  no  answer,  but  looked  about  her  slowly. 
Her  eyes  rested  upon  a  little  inclosed  place  where 
some  gray  stones  stood  upright  in  the  grass;  the 
family  burial  place,  not  unusual  in  such  proximity  to 
the  abode  of  the  living,  in  that  part  of  the  country 
at  the  time. 

"  One  might  escape  by  going  there !  "  she  pointed. 

"  They  are  my  own,  who  sleep  there,"  he  said 
simply  but  grimly.  "  I  wish  it  might  be  your  choice ; 
but  not  now;  not  yet.  We've  a  lot  of  living  to  do 
yet,  both  of  us." 

She  caught  no  note  of  relenting  in  his  voice.  He 
looked  large  and  strong,  standing  there  at  the  entrance 
to  his  own  home.  At  length  he  turned  to  her,  sweep 
ing  out  his  arm  once  more  in  a  gesture  including  the 
prospect  which  lay  before  them. 

"  If  you  could  only  find  it  in  your  heart,"  he  ex 
claimed,  "  how  much  I  could  do  for  you,  how  much 
you  could  do  for  me.  Look  at  all  this.  It's  a  home, 
but  it's  just  a  desert  —  a  desert  —  the  way  it  is 
now." 

"  Has  it  always  been  so?  " 

"  As  long  as  I  can  remember." 
148 


THE  GARMENTS  OF  ANOTHER 

"So  you  desire  to  make  all  life  a  desert  for  me! 
It  is  very  noble  of  you !  " 

Absorbed,  he  seemed  not  to  hear  her.  "  Suppose 
you  had  met  me  the  way  people  usually  meet  —  and 
you  some  time  had  allowed  me  to  come  and  address 
you  —  could  you  have  done  that,  do  you  reckon?" 
He  turned  to  her,  an  intent  frown  on  his  face,  unsmil 
ing. 

"  That's  a  question  which  here  at  least  is  absurd," 
she  replied. 

"  You  spoke  once  of  that  other  country,  abroad, — " 
he  broke  off,  shaking  his  head.  "  Who  are  you  ?  I 
don't  feel  sure  that  I  even  know  your  name  as  yet." 

"  I  am,  as  you  have  been  told,  Josephine,  Countess 
St.  Auban.  I  am  French,  Hungarian,  American,  what 
you  like,  but  nothing  to  you.  I  came  to  this  country 
in  the  interest  of  Louis  Kossuth.  For  that  reason 
I  have  been  misunderstood.  They  think  me  more 
dangerous  than  I  am,  but  it  seems  I  am  honored  by 
the  suspicions  of  Austria  and  America  as  well.  I  was 
a  revolutionist  yonder.  I  am  already  called  an  aboli 
tionist  here.  Very  well.  The  name  makes  little  dif 
ference.  The  work  itself  - 

"  Is  that  how  you  happened  to  be  there  on  the 
boat?" 

"  I  suppose  so.  I  was  a  prisoner  there.  I  was 
less  than  a  chattel.  I  was  a  piece  of  property,  to  be 
staked,  to  be  won  or  lost  at  cards,  to  be  kidnapped, 
hand-cuffed,  handled  like  a  slave,  it  seems.  And 

149 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

you've  the  hardihood  to  stand  here  and  ask  me  who 
I  am !  " 

"  I've  only  that  sort  of  hardihood,  Madam,  which 
makes  me  ride  straight.  If  I  had  observed  the  laws, 
I  wouldn't  have  you  here  now,  this  morning." 

'  You'll  not  have  me  long.  If  I  despise  you  as  a 
man  without  chivalry,  I  still  more  do  so  because  you've 
neither  ambition  nor  any  sense  of  morals." 

"  You  go  on  to  improve  me.  I  thank  you,  Made 
moiselle  —  Eleazar  was  right.  I  heard  him.  I  like 
you  as  '  Mademoiselle.'  ' 

"  What  difference  ?  "  she  flared  out.  "  We  are  op 
posed  at  all  angles  of  the  human  compass.  There  is 
no  common  meeting  ground  between  us.  Let  me 

go." 

He  looked  at  her  full  in  the  face,  his  own  features 
softened,  relenting  for  a  time,  as  though  her  appeal 
had  touched  either  his  mental  or  his  moral  nature. 
Then  slowly,  as  he  saw  the  excellence  of  her,  standing 
there,  his  face  dropped  back  into  its  iron  mold.  "  You 
are  a  wonderful  woman,"  he  said,  "  wonderful.  You 
set  me  on  fire  —  and  it's  only  eight  o'clock  in  the 
morning.  I  could  crush  you  —  I  could  tear  you  to 
pieces.  I  never  saw  your  like,  nor  ever  shall.  Let 
you  go?  Yes!  When  I'm  willing  to  let  my  blood 
and  soul  go.  Not  till  then.  If  I  were  out  in  that 
graveyard,  with  my  bones  apart,  and  your  foot  crossed 
my  grave,  I'd  get  up  and  come,  and  live  again  with 
you  —  live  —  again.  I  say,  I  could  live  again,  do 
you  hear  me?  " 

150 


THE  GARMENTS  OF  ANOTHER 

She  broke  out  into  a  torrent  of  hot  speech.  He  did 
not  seem  to  hear  her.  "  The  wrong  of  it,"  said  he, 
"  is  that  we  should  fight  apart  and  not  together.  Do 
as  you  like  for  to-day.  Be  happy  as  you  can.  Let's 
live  in  the  present,  as  we  were,  at  least  for  to-day. 
But  to-night  — " 

He  turned  swiftly,  and  left  her,  so  that  she  found 
left  unsaid  certain  questions  as  well  as  certain  ac 
cusations  she  had  stored  for  this  first  meeting. 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE    NIGHT 

THAT  night,  Josephine  St.  Auban  did  not  sleep. 
For  hours  she  tossed  about,  listening.  Infre 
quently,  sounds  came  to  her  ears.  Through  the  win 
dow  came  now  and  again  faint  notes  of  night-faring 
birds,  south  bound  on  their  autumnal  migration.  Once 
in  a  while  a  distant  step  resounded  in  the  great  build 
ing,  or  again  there  came  the  distant  voices  of  the  ne 
groes  singing  in  their  quarters  beyond.  The  house  had 
ceased  its  daily  activities.  The  servants  had  left  it. 
Who  occupied  it  now?  Was  she  alone?  Was  there 
one  other? 

In  apprehension  which  comes  to  the  senses  in  the 
dark  watches  of  the  night  —  impressions,  conclusions, 
based  upon  no  actual  or  recognized  action  of  the 
physical  senses  —  Josephine  rose,  passed  to  the  win 
dow  and  looked  out.  The  moonlight  lay  upon  the 
lawn  like  a  broad  silver  blanket.  Faint  stars  were 
twinkling  in  the  clear  sky  overhead.  The  night 
brooded  her  planets,  hovering  the  world,  so  that  life 
might  be. 

The  dark  outlines  of  the  shrubbery  below  showed 
black  and  strong.  Upon  the  side  of  a  near-by  clump 

152 


She  fhinfj  herself  upon  the  bed 


THE  NIGHT 

of  leafless  lilacs  shone  a  faint  light,  as  though  from 
one  of  the  barred  windows  below.  The  house  was 
not  quite  asleep.  She  stilled  her  breath  as  she  might, 
stilled  her  heart  as  she  might,  lest  its  beating  should 
be  heard.  What  was  about  to  happen?  Where 
could  she  fly,  and  how? 

Escape  by  the  central  stairway  would  be  out  of 
the  question,  because  by  that  way  only  could  danger 
approach.  She  leaned  out  of  the  window.  Catch 
ing  at  the  coarse  ivy  vine  which  climbed  up  the  old 
wall  of  the  house,  she  saw  that  it  ascended  past  her 
window  to  the  very  cornice  where  the  white  pillars 
joined  the  roof.  The  pillars  themselves,  vast  and 
smooth,  would  have  been  useless  even  could  she  have 
reached  them.  Below,  a  slender  lattice  or  ladder  had 
been  erected  to  the  height  of  one  story,  to  give  the 
ivy  its  support.  A  strong  and  active  person  might  by 
mere  possibility  reach  this  frail  support  if  the  ivy 
itself  proved  strong  enough  to  hold  under  the  strain. 
She  clutched  at  it  desperately.  It  seemed  to  her  that 
although  the  smaller  tendrils  loosened,  the  greater 
arms  held  firm. 

She  stepped  back  into  the  room,  listened,  straining 
all  her  soul  in  a  demand  for  certitude.  As  yet  she 
had  only  dreaded  to  hear  a  sound,  had  not  indeed  done 
so.  Now  at  last  there  came  a  footfall  —  was  it 
true?  It  seemed  not  heavy  enough  for  a  man's  step, 
but  a  man  on  secret  errand  might  tread  light.  She 
flung  herself  upon  the  bed,  her  hands  clasped,  her  lips 
moving  in  supplication. 

153 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

But  now  it  came  again,  that  was  it  —  it  was  a  foot 
fall.  It  approached  along  the  hall,  paused  at  the  bar 
ricaded  door.  It  was  there  outside,  stopping.  She 
heard  a  breath  drawn.  The  knob  was  tried,  silently 
at  first,  then  with  greater  force.  "  Who  is  there  ?  " 
she  quavered.  "  Who  is  there  ?  "  she  repeated.  No 
answer  came. 

"  Jeanne ! "  she  cried  aloud.  "  Oh,  Jeanne ! 
Jeanne!  Sally!" 

There  was  once  a  sound  of  a  distant  door  opening. 
No  voice  came.  Outside  her  own  door  now  was 
silence. 

She  could  endure  no  more.  Though  it  were  into 
flames,  she  must  escape  from  this  place,  where  came 
one  to  claim  a  property,  not  a  woman ;  where  a  woman 
faced  use,  not  wooing.  God!  And  there  was  no 
weapon,  to  assure  God's  vengeance  now,  here,  at 
once. 

Half-clad  as  she  was,  she  ran  to  the  window,  and 
unhesitatingly  let  herself  out  over  the  sill,  clutching 
at  the  ivy  as  she  did  so.  She  feared  not  at  all  what 
now  was  before  her.  It  is  doubtful  whether  those 
who  spring  from  a  burning  building  dread  the  fall 
—  they  dread  only  that  which  is  behind  them. 

As  she  now  half-slid  from  the  window,  she  grasped 
wildly  at  the  screen  of  ivy,  and  as  fate  would  have  it 
caught  one  of  its  greater  branches.  It  held  fast,  and 
she  swung  free  from  the  sill,  which  now  she  could 
never  again  regain.  She  clung  desperately,  blindly, 
swung  out;  then  felt  the  roots  of  the  ivy  above  her 

154 


SHE  GRASPED  WILDLY  AT  THE   SCREEN   OF  IVY 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

rip  free,  one  after  another,  far  up,  almost  to  the 
cornice.  Its  whole  thin  ladder  broke  free  from  the 
wall.  She  was  flung  into  space.  Almost  at  that  instant, 
her  foot  touched  the  light  lattice  of  the  lower  story. 
The  ivy  had  crawled  up  the  wall  face  and  followed 
the  cornice  up  and  over  somewhere,  over  the  edge  of 
the  eaves,  finding  some  sort  of  holding  ground.  It 
served  to  support  her  weight  at  least  until  she  felt  the 
ladder  underfoot.  At  this  in  turn  she  clutched  as  she 
dropped  lower,  but  frail  and  rotten  as  it  was,  it  sup 
ported  her  but  slightly.  The  next  instant  she  felt 
herself  falling. 

She  dropped  out  and  down,  struck  heavily,  and  had 
but  consciousness  enough  left  to  half-rise.  Before 
her  eyes  shone  scores  of  little  pointed  lights.  Then 
her  senses  passed  away,  and  all  went  sweetly,  smoothly 
and  soothingly  black  about  her.  .  .  .  After  ages, 
there  came  faint  sounds  of  running  feet.  There  was 
a  sort  of  struggle  of  some  sort,  it  seemed,  in  her  first 
returning  consciousness.  Her  first  distinct  feeling 
was  one  of  wonder  that  Dunwody  himself  should  be 
the  first  to  bend  over  her,  and  that  on  his  face  there 
should  seem  surprise,  regret,  grief.  How  could  he 
feign  such  things?  She  pushed  at  his  face,  panting, 
silent. 

Jeanne  now  was  there  —  Jeanne,  tearful,  excited, 
wringing  her  hands,  offering  aid;  but  in  spite  of 
Jeanne,  Dunwody  raised  Josephine  in  his  arms.  As 
he  did  so  he  felt  her  wince.  Her  arm  dropped  loosely. 

"  Good  God !  It  is  broken !  "  he  cried.  "  Oh,  why 
156 


THE  NIGHT 

did  you  do  this?  Why  did  you?  You  poor  girl,  you 
poor  girl !  And  it  was  all  my  fault  —  my  fault !  " 
Then  suddenly,  "  Sally !  —  Eleazar !  "  he  cried. 

They  came  running  now  from  all  sides.  Between 
them  they  carried  Josephine  back  to  her  room  and 
placed  her  once  more  upon  her  couch. 

"  Saddle  up,  Eleazar,"  commanded  Dunwody. 
"  Get  a  doctor  —  Jamieson  —  from  St.  Genevieve  as 
fast  as  you  can.  The  lady's  arm  is  broken." 

"  Pardon,  Monsieur,"  he  began,  "  but  it  is  far  for 
St.  Genevieve.  Me,  I  have  set  h'arm  before  now. 
Suppose  I  set  heem  now,  then  go  for  the  doc'  ?  " 

"  Could  you  do  that  ?  "  demanded  Dunwody. 

"  Somehow,  yes,  me,"  answered  Eleazar.  Dun 
wody  nodded.  Without  further  speech  the  old  man 
rolled  up  his  sleeves  and  addressed  himself  to  his  task. 
Not  without  skill,  he  approached  the  broken  ends  of 
the  ulna,  which  was  fractured  above  the  wrist.  Hav 
ing  done  this  without  much  difficulty  he  called  out 
for  splints,  and  when  some  pieces  of  thin  wood  were 
brought  him  he  had  them  shaped  to  his  needs,  ad 
justed  about  them  his  bandage  and  made  all  fast. 
His  patient  made  no  sound  of  suffering.  She  only 
panted,  like  a  frightened  bird  held  in  the  hand,  al 
though  the  sobbing  of  Jeanne  filled  the  room.  The 
forehead  of  Dunwody  was  beaded.  He  said  nothing, 
not  even  when  they  had  finished  all  they  now  could 
do  to  make  her  comfortable. 

"An  rcvoir,  Mademoiselle,"  said  Eleazar,  at  length. 
"  I  go  now  for  those  doc'." 

157 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

A  moment  later  the  room  was  cleared,  none  but  Dun- 
vvody  remaining.  At  last,  then,  they  were  alone  to 
gether. 

"  Go  away !  Bring  me  Jeanne !  "  she  cried  at  him. 
His  lips  only  tightened. 

"  May  I  not  have  Jeanne  ?  "  she  wailed  again. 

"  Yes,  you  shall  have  Jeanne  —  you  shall  have  any 
thing  you  want,"  he  answered  at  length,  quietly. 
"  Only  get  well.  Forgive  me  all  this  if  you  can." 

Josephine's  lips  trembled.  "  May  I  go  ?  "  she  de 
manded  of  him. 

There  was  a  strange  gentleness  in  his  voice. 
"  You're  hurt.  It  would  be  impossible  for  you  to  go 
now.  Don't  be  afraid.  Don't!  Don't!" 

She  looked  at  him  keenly,  in  spite  of  her  suffering. 
There  seemed  some  change  about  him.  At  length, 
heavily,  his  head  sunk,  he  left  the  room. 

Jeanne  herself,  sobbing,  tearful,  withal  overjoyed, 
rejoined  her  mistress.  The  two  embraced  as  was  best 
possible.  As  her  senses  cleared,  a  sort  of  relief  came 
over  Josephine.  Now,  she  began  to  reason,  for  the 
time  she  was  shielded  by  this  infirmity;  comforted  also 
by  the  presence  of  one  as  weak  and  helpless  as  her 
self. 

"  It's  an  ill  wind,  Jeanne,  which  blows  no  one 
good,"  she  smiled  bravely.  "  See,  now  we  are  to 
gether  again." 

"  Madame !  "  gulped  Jeanne.     "  Madame !  " 

"  Fie,  fie,  Jeanne !  In  time  we  shall  be  away  from 
here." 

158 


THE  NIGHT 

"  Madame,  I  like  it  not  —  this  house.  Something 
here  is  wrong.  We  must  fly !  " 

"  But,  Jeanne,  I  am  helpless.     We  must  wait,  now." 

All  that  night  and  till  morning  of  the  next  day 
they  waited,  alone,  Dunwody  not  appearing,  though 
continually  old  Sally  brought  up  proofs  of  his  solicit- 
ousness.  At  last  there  came  the  sound  of  hoofs  on 
the  gravel  road,  and  there  alighted  at  the  door,  dust- 
covered  and  weary,  old  Eleazar  and  Jamieson,  the 
doctor  of  St.  Genevieve.  These  were  met  by  the 
master  of  Tallwoods  himself. 

"  Listen  now,  Jamieson,"  said  Dunwody.  '*  You're 
here  by  my  call.  You  understand  me,  and  understand 
the  rules  of  your  own  profession.  Ask  no  questions 
here.  Your  patient  has  broken  an  arm  —  there  has 
been  an  accident.  That's  all  you  need  to  know,  I  think. 
Your  job  is  to  get  her  well,  as  soon  as  you  can. 
You're  a  doctor,  not  a  lawyer;  that's  all." 

He  led  the  way  to  the  door  of  Josephine's  room, 
and  the  doctor,  stained  with  travel  as  he  was,  entered. 
He  was  an  old  man,  gray  and  lean,  consumed  in  his 
time  by  fevers  and  chills,  in  the  treatment  of  which  he 
was  perhaps  more  skilful  than  in  surgery.  He  ap 
proached  the  couch  not  unkindly  and  stood  in  pre 
liminary  professional  scrutiny  of  his  patient.  The 
face  turned  toward  him,  framed  in  its  dark  roll  of 
hair,  caused  him  to  start  with  surprise.  Even  thus 
flushed  in  the  fever  of  pain,  it  seemed  to  him  no  face 
ever  was  more  beautiful.  Who  was  she?  How  came 
she  here?  In  spite  of  Dunwody's  command  many 

159 


questions  sprang  to  his  own  mind,  almost  to  his  lips. 
Yet  now  he  only  gently  took  up  the  bandaged  arm. 

"  Pardon,  my  dear,"  he  said  quietly.  "  I  must  un 
wrap  these  bandages,  to  see  how  well  Eleazar  has 
done  his  work  —  you  know,  these  doctors  are  jealous 
of  each  other !  So  now,  easy,  easy !  " 

He  unrolled  the  rude  bandages  which,  if  not  pro 
fessionally  applied,  at  least  had  held  their  own.  He 
examined  the  splints,  hummed  to  himself  meantime. 

"  Fine !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Excellent !  Now  indeed 
I  shall  be  jealous.  The  old  man  has  done  a  job  as 
good  as  I  could  have  done  myself!  There  was  no 
need  of  my  coming  at  all.  But  I'm  glad  I  came,  my 
dear." 

"  But  you  aren't  going  away,  Doctor  —  you  will  not 
go  back!  " 

He  pursed  a  lip  as  he  gazed  down  over  his  steel 
bowed  glasses.  "  I  ought  to  get  back,  my  dear,  be 
cause  I  have  other  patients,  don't  you  see,  and  it's  a 
long  ride.  Why  can't  you  let  me  go?  You're  young 
and  healthy  as  a  wild  deer.  You're  a  perfectly 
splendid  girl.  Why,  you'll  be  out  of  this  in  a  couple 
of  weeks.  How  did  you  happen  to  fall  that  way  ?  " 

She  nodded  toward  the  window.  "  I  fell  out  — 
there  —  I  was  frightened." 

"  Yes,  yes,  of  course  —  sleep  walking,  eh  ?  " 

Jamieson  took  snuff  very  vigorously.  "  Don't  do 
it  again.  But  pshaw !  If  I  were  as  young  and  strong 
as  you  are,  I'd  have  my  arm  broken  twice  a  week,  just 
for  fun." 

1 60 


"WHY  CAN'T  YOU  J-ET  ME  GO? 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

*'  Doctor,  you're  going!"  she  exclaimed.  "But 
you  must  do  something  for  me  —  you  must  be  my 
friend." 

"  Certainly,  my  dear,  why  not  ?  But  how  can  I  help 
you?  Dunwody's  pledged  me  to  professional  secrecy, 
you  know."  He  grinned.  "  Not  that  even  Wary5 
Dunwody  can  run  me  very  much." 

He  looked  down  at  her,  frowning,  but  at  that 
moment  turned  to  the  door  as  he  heard  Dunwody's  step. 

"  How  do  you  find  the  patient,  Doctor?  "  asked  Dun 
wody.  Jamieson  moved  a  hand  in  cheerful  gesture  to 
his  patient. 

"  Good-by,  my  dear.  Just  get  well,  now.  I'm 
coming  back,  and  then  we'll  have  a  talk.  Be  good, 
now,  and  don't  walk  in  your  sleep  any  more."  He 
took  Dunwody  by  the  shoulder  and  led  him  out. 

"  I  don't  like  this,  Dunwody,"  he  said,  when  they 
were  out  of  earshot  of  the  room.  "  What's  going 
on  here?  I'm  your  doctor,  as  we  both  know;  but 
I'm  your  friend,  too.  And  we  both  know  that  I'm 
a  gentleman,  and  you  ought  to  be.  That's  a  lady  there. 
She's  in  trouble  —  she's  scared  e'en  a'most  to  death. 
Why?  Now  listen.  I  don't  help  in  that  sort  of 
work,  my  boy.  What's  up  here?  I've  helped  you 
before,  and  I've  held  your  secrets;  but  I  don't  go  into 
the  business  of  making  any  more  secrets,  d'ye  see?  " 

"  There  aren't  going  to  be  any  more,  Jamieson," 
rejoined  Dunwody  slowly.  "  I've  got  to  keep  hers. 
You  needn't  keep  mine  if  you  don't  feel  like  it.  Get 
her  well,  that's  all.  This  is  no  place  for  her.  As  for 

162 


THE  NIGHT 

me,  as  you  know  very  well,  there  isn't  any  place  any 
where  for  me." 

The  old  doctor  sighed.  "  Brace  up  to  it,  my  son. 
But  play  the  game  fair.  If  it  comes  to  a  case  of 
being  kind  to  yourself  or  kind  to  a  woman,  why, 
take  a  gamble,  and  try  being  kind  to  the  woman. 
They  need  it.  I'm  coming  back:  but  now  I  must  be 
getting  on.  First,  I'm  going  to  get  something  to 
eat.  Where's  the  whisky  ?  " 

Dunwody  for  the  time  left  him,  and  began  moodily 
to  pace  apart,  up  and  down  the  gallery.  Here  pres 
ently  he  was  approached  by  Jeanne,  the  maid. 

"  Madame  will  speak  to  you !  "  announced  that  per 
son  loftily,  and  turned  away  scornfully  before  he 
had  time  to  reply.  Eager,  surprised,  he  hastened  up 
the  stair  and  once  more  was  at  her  bedside.  "  Yes?  " 
he  said.  "  Did  you  wish  me  for  anything?  " 

Josephine  pushed  herself  back  against  the  head 
board  of  the  bed,  half  supported  by  pillows.  With 
her  free  hand  she  attempted  to  put  back  a  fallen  lock 
of  dark  hair.  It  was  not  care  for  her  personal  ap 
pearance  which  animated  her,  however,  although  her 
costume,  arranged  by  her  maid,  now  was  that  of  the 
sick  chamber.  "  Jeanne,"  she  said,  "  go  to  the 
ar moire,  yonder.  Bring  m^.  what  you  find  there. 
Wait,"  she  added  to  Dunwody.  "  I've  something  to 
show  you,  something  to  ask  you,  yes." 

Jeanne  turned,  over  her  arm  now  the  old  and  worn 
garments  which  Sally  earlier  had  attempted  to  re 
move. 

163 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  What  are  these?  "  exclaimed  Josephine  of  the  man 
who  stood  by. 

He  made  no  reply,  but  took  the  faded  silks  in  his 
own  hands,  looking  at  them  curiously,  as  though  he 
himself  saw  something  unexpected,  inexplicable. 

"What  are  they,  sir?  Whose  were  they?  You 
told  me  once  you  were  alone  here." 

"  I  am,"  he  answered.  "  Look.  These  are  years 
old,  years,  years  old." 

"What  are  they?  Whose  were  they?"  she  re 
iterated. 

"  They  are  grave  clothes,"  he  said  simply,  and 
looked  her  in  the  face.  "  Do  you  wish  to  know 
more?  " 

"Is  she  —  was  she  —  is  she  out  there?"  He 
knew  she  meant  to  ask,  in  the  graveyard  of  the  family. 

"  Why  do  you  wish  to  know  ?  "  he  inquired  quietly. 
"  Is  it  because  you  are  a  woman  ?  " 

"  I  am  here  because  I  am  a  woman.     Well,  then." 

He  looked  at  her,  still  silently,  for  a  time.  "  She 
is  dead,"  he  said  slowly.  "  Can't  you  let  her  lie 
dead?" 

"  No.     Is  she  out  there?     Tell  me." 

"  No." 

"  Is  she  dead?     Who  was  she?  " 

"  I  have  told  you,  I  am  alone  here.  I  have  told 
you,  I've  been  alone,  all  my  life,  until  you  came.  Isn't 
that  enough  ?  " 

"  Yes,  you've  said  that ;  but  that  was  not  the 
truth." 

164 


THE  NIGHT 

"  It  depends  upon  what  you  mean  by  the  truth." 

"  The  man  who  could  do  what  you  have  done  with 
me  would  not  stop  at  anything.  How  could  I  believe 
a  word  you  said  ?  "  Then,  on  the  instant,  much  as 
she  had  cause  to  hate  him,  she  half  regretted  her 
speech.  She  saw  a  swift  flush  spring  to  his  cheek 
under  the  thin  florid  skin.  He  moved  his  lips,  but  did 
not  speak.  It  was  quite  a  while  before  he  made  re 
ply. 

"  That  isn't  just,"  he  said  quietly.  "  I  wouldn't 
lie  to  you,  not  even  to  get  you.  If  that's  the  way  you 
feel  about  me,  I  reckon  there  couldn't,  after  all,  be 
much  between  us.  I've  got  all  the  sins  and  faults  of 
the  world,  but  not  just  that  one.  I  don't  lie." 

"  Then  tell  me." 

"  No.  You've  not  earned  it.  What  would  be  the 
use,  if  you  didn't  believe  what  I  said?  " 

He  held  up  the  faded  things  before  his  eyes,  turn 
ing  them  over  calmly,  looking  at  them  directly,  un 
shrinkingly.  She  could  not  read  what  was  in  his  mind. 
Either  he  had  courage  or  long  accustomedness,  she 
thought. 

"  I  asked  Sally,"  she  half  smiled. 

"Yes?" 

"  And  I'll  ask  her  again.  I  don't  want  —  I  can't 
have,  a  —  a  room  which  belongs  to  another  woman, 
which  has  belonged  to  another.  I've  not,  all  my  life, 
been  used  to  —  that  sort  of  place,  myself,  you  see." 

;<  You  are  entitled  to  first  place,  Madam,  wherever 
you  are.  I  don't  know  what  you  have  been."  He 

165 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

pointed  to  her  own  garments,  which  lay  across  a  chair. 
"You  don't  know  what  she  has  been;"  he  indicated 
these  that  he  held  in  his  hand.  "  Very  well.  What 
could  a  mere  liar,  a  coward,  do  to  arrange  an  under 
standing  between  two  women  so  mysterious?  You 
sprang  from  the  earth,  from  the  sea,  somewhere,  I  do 
not  know  how.  You  are  the  first  woman  for  me. 
Is  it  not  enough  ?  " 

"  I  told  Sally,  it  might  have  been  a  sister,  your 
mother — " 

"  Dead  long  ago.  Out  there."  He  nodded  to  the 
window. 

"Which?"  she  demanded. 

He  turned  to  her  full  now,  and  put  out  a  hand, 
touching  the  coverlid  timidly  almost.  "  You  are  ill," 
he  said.  "  Your  eyes  shine.  I  know.  It's  the  fever. 
It  isn't  any  time  now  for  you  to  talk.  Besides,  until 
you  believe  me,  I  can  not  talk  with  you  any  more. 
I've  been  a  little  rough,  maybe,  I  don't  know ;  but  as 
God  made  this  world,  those  trees,  that  sun  yonder, 
I  never  said  a  word  to  you  yet  that  wasn't  true.  I've 
never  wanted  of  you  what  wasn't  right,  in  my  own 
creed.  Sometimes  we  have  to  frame  up  a  creed  all 
for  ourselves,  don't  you  know  that?  The  world  isn't 
always  run  on  the  same  lines  everywhere.  It's  dif 
ferent,  in  places." 

"  Will  you  tell  me  all  about  it  —  about  her,  some 
time?" 

"  If  you  are  going  away,  why  should  you  ask  that? 
If  you  are  going  to  be  nothing  to  me,  in  all  the  world, 

1 66 


THE  NIGHT 

what  right  have  you  to  ask  that  of  me?  You 
would  not  have  the  right  I've  had  in  speaking  to  you 
as  I  have.  That  was  right.  It  was  the  right  of  love. 
I  love  you !  I  don't  care  if  all  the  world  knows  it. 
Let  that  girl  there  hear  if  she  likes.  I've  said,  we 
belong  together,  and  it  seems  truth  to  me,  the  very 
truth ;  yes,  and  the  very  right  itself.  But  some  way, 
we  hurt  each  other,  don't  we?  Look  at  you,  there, 
suffering.  My  fault.  And  I'd  rather  it  had  cost  me 
a  limb  than  to  see  you  hurt  that  way.  It  cuts  my 
heart.  I  can't  rest  over  it.  And  you  hurt  me,  too, 
I  reckon,  about  as  bad  as  anything  can.  Maybe  you 
hurt  me  more  than  you  know.  But  as  to  our  rights 
to  anything  back  of  the  curtain  that's  before  us,  be 
fore  your  life  and  mine,  why,  I  can't  begin  until  some 
thing  else  has  begun.  It's  not  right,  unless  that  other 
is  right,  that  I've  told  you.  We  belong  together  in 
the  one  big  way,  first.  That's  the  premise.  That's 
the  one  great  thing.  What  difference  about  the  rest, 
future  or  past  ?  " 

'  You've  not  been  much  among  women,"  she  said. 

"  Very  little." 

"  You  don't  understand  them." 

"  I  don't  reckon  anybody  does." 

"  Jeanne  told  me  that  she  heard,  last  night,  a  child 
crying,  here  in  this  house." 

"  Could   it   not   have   been    a   negro    child  ? "     He 
smiled  at  her,  even  as  he  stood  under  inquisition. 

She  noticed  that  his  face  now  seemed  pale.     The 
bones  of  the  cheeks  stood  out  more  now.     He  showed 

167 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

more  gravity.  Freed  of  his  red  fighting  flush,  the 
flame  of  passion  gone  out  of  his  eyes,  he  seemed  more 
dignified,  more  of  a  man  than  had  hitherto  been  ap 
parent  to  her. 

"  Non!  Non!"  cried  out  Jeanne,  who  had  benefited 
unnoticed  to  an  extent  undreamed  hitherto  in  her  ex 
perience  in  matter  delicate  between  man  and  maid. 
Her  mistress  raised  a  hand.  She  herself  had  almost 
forgotten  that  Jeanne  was  in  the  room.  "Non! 
Non! "  reiterated  that  young  person.  "  Eet  was  no 
neegaire  child,  pas  de  tout,  jamais  de  la  vie!  I  know 
those  neegaire  voice.  It  was  a  voice  white,  Madame, 
Monsieur!  Apparently  it  wept.  Perhaps  it  had 
hunger." 

A  sort  of  grim  uncovering  of  his  teeth  was  Dun- 
wody's  smile.  He  made  no  comment.  His  face  was 
whiter  than  before. 

"  Whose  child  was  it  ?  "  demanded  Josephine,  mo 
tioning  to  the  garments  he  still  held  in  his  hands. 
"  Hers?  "  He  shook  his  head  slowly. 

"  No." 

"Yours?" 

"  No." 

"  Oh,    well,    I    suppose    it    was    some    servant's  — 
though   the   overseer,    Jeanne    says,    lives   across   the 
fields,  there.     And  there  would  not  be  any  negroes 
living  here  in  the  house,  in  any  case?  " 

"  No." 

"  Was  it  —  was  it  —  yours  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  child.     There  will  never  be  any  for  me 
1 68 


THE  NIGHT 

in  the  world  —  except  —  under  -  But  now  the 
flush  came  back  into  his  face.  Confused,  he  turned, 
and  gently  laid  down  the  faded  silks  across  a  chair 
back,  pulling  it  even  with  the  one  where  lay  Josephine's 
richer  and  more  modern  robes.  He  looked  at  the  two 
grimly,  sadly,  shook  his  head  and  walked  out  of  the 
room. 

"Madame!"    exclaimed   Jeanne,    "it   was    divine! 
But,  quelle  mystere!  " 


169 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE   INVASION 

DUNWODY  joined  Jamieson  below,  and  the  lat 
ter  now  called  for  his  horse,  the  two  walking 
together  toward  the  door.  They  hardly  had  reached 
the  gallery  when  there  became  audible  the  sound  of 
hoof -beats  rapidly  approaching  up  the  road  across  the 
lawn.  A  party  of  four  horsemen  appeared,  all  riding 
hard. 

."Who' re    they?"    inquired    the    doctor.     "Didn't 
see  any  of  them  on  the  road  as  I  came  in." 

"  They  look  familiar,"  commented  Dunwody. 
"  That's  Jones,  and  that's  Judge  Clayton,  down  be 
low  —  why,  I  just  left  both  of  them  on  the  boat  the 
other  day !  It's  Desha  and  Yates  with  them,  from 
the  other  side  of  the  county.  There  must  be  some 
thing  up." 

He  advanced  to  meet  the  visitors.  "  Good  morn 
ing,  gentlemen.  Light  down,  and  come  in." 

All  four  got  down,  shook  hands  with  Dunwody, 
gave  their  reins  to  servants,  and  joined  him  on  his  in 
vitation  to  enter.  Jamieson  was  known  to  all  of  them. 

"  Well,  Colonel  Dunwody,"  began  the  Honorable 
William  Jones,  "  you  didn't  expect  to  see  us  so  soon, 
did  you  ?  Reckon  you'd  ought  to  be  all  the  gladder. 

170 


A   PARTY   OF   FOUR    HORSEMEN   APPEARED 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  You  live  here,  my  dear  Colonel,"  he  continued, 
looking  about  him,  "  in  much  the  same  state  and  se 
clusion  remarked  by  Mr.  Gibbon  in  his  immortal  work 
on  the  Decline  and  Fall  of  Rome  —  where  he  described 
the  castles  of  them  ancient  days,  located  back  in  the 
mountainous  regions.  But  it  ain't  no  Roman  road 
you've  got,  out  thar." 

"  I  was  going  to  remark,"  interrupted  Judge  Clay 
ton,  "  that  Colonel  Dunwody  has  anticipated  all  the 
modern  requirements  of  hospitality  as  well  as  em 
bodied  all  those  of  ancient  sort.  Thank  you,  I  shall 
taste  your  bourbon,  Colonel,  with  gladness.  It  is  a 
long  ride  in  from  the  river;  but,  following  out  our 
friend's  thought,  why  do  you  live  away  back  in  here, 
when  all  your  best  plantations  are  down  below?  We 
don't  see  you  twice  a  year,  any  more." 

"  Well,"  said  the  owner  of  Tallwoods,  "  my  father 
might  be  better  able  to  answer  that  question  if  he  were 
alive.  He  built  this  for  a  summer  place,  and  I  use 
it  all  the  year.  I  found  the  place  here,  and  it  always 
seemed  too  big  to  move  away.  We  set  three  meals 
a  day,  even  back  here  in  the  hills,  and  there's  quite  a 
bunch  of  leaves  we  can  put  on  the  table.  The  only 
drawback  is,  we  don't  see  much  company.  I'm  mighty 
glad  to  see  you,  and  I'm  going  to  keep  you  here  now, 
until  — " 

"  Until  something  pops  open,"  remarked  the  Honor 
able  William,  over  the  rim  of  his  glass.  Dunwody's 
neighbors  nodded  also. 

172 


THE  INVASION 

Their  host  looked  at  them  for  a  moment.  "  Are 
you  here  on  any  special  errand  —  but  of  course  there 
must  be  something  of  the  sort,  to  bring  you  two  gentle 
men  so  close  on  my  trail." 

"  We  met  up  with  these  gentlemen  down  at  the 
river,"  began  Yates,  "  and  from  what  they  done  told 
us,  we  thought  we'd  all  better  ride  in  along  together, 
and  have  a  little  talk  with  you.  Looks  like  there  might 
be  trouble  in  these  parts  before  long." 

"  What  sort  of  trouble  ?  " 

"  It's  this-a-way,"  broke  in  the  Honorable  William 
Jones.  "  The  jedge  an'  I  laid  off  at  Cairo  when 
you-all  went  on  through.  Next  day,  along  comes  a 
steamer  from  up-river,  an'  she's  full  of  northern  men, 
headed  west ;  a  damned  sight  more  like  a  fightin'  army 
than  so  many  settlers.  They're  goiir  out  into  the 
purairie  country  beyant,  an'  /  think  it's  just  on  the 
early-bird  principle,  to  hold  it  ag'inst  settlers  from 
this  state.  They're  a  lot  of  those  damned  black  aboli 
tionists,  that's  what  they  are!  What's  more,  that 
Lily  gal  of  the  jedge' s  here,  she's  got  away  agin- 
she  turned  up  missin'  at  Cairo,  too  —  an'  she  taken 
up  with  this  bunch  of  Yankees,  an'  is  mighty  apt  to 
git  clar  off." 

Judge  Clayton  nodded  gravely.  "  The  whole  North 
is  stirred  up  and  bound  to  make  trouble.  These  men 
seem  to  have  taken  the  girl  in  without  hesitation.  They 
don't  intend  to  stand  by  any  compromise,  at  least. 
The  question  is,  what  are  we  going  to  do  about  it? 

173 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

We  can't  stand  here  and  see  our  property  taken  away 
by  armed  invaders,  in  this  way.  And  yet  — 

"  It  looks,"  he  added  slowly,  a  moment  later,  "  just 
as  Thomas  Jefferson  said  long  ago,  as  though  this 
country  had  the  wolf  by  the  ear,  and  could  neither 
hold  it  nor  let  it  go.  For  myself  —  and  setting  aside 
this  personal  matter,  which  is  at  worst  only  the  loss 
of  a  worthless  girl  —  I  admit  I  fear  that  this  slavery 
wolf  is  going  to  mean  trouble  —  big  trouble  —  both 
for  the  South  and  the  North,  before  long." 

"  Douglas,  over  there  in  Illinois,  hasn't  brought 
up  anything  in  Congress  yet  that's  stuck,"  broke  in 
the  ever-ready  Jones.  "  Old  Caroliny  and  Mississip' 
—  them's  the  ones !  Their  conventions  show  where 
we're  goin'  to  stand  at.  We'll  let  the  wolf  go,  and 
take  holt  in  a  brand  new  place,  that's  exactly  what 
we'll  do !  " 

Dunwocly  remained  silent  for  a  time.  Doctor 
Jamieson  took  snuff,  and  looked  quietly  from  one  to  the 
other.  '  You  can  count  me  in,  gentlemen,"  said  he. 

Silence  fell  as  he  went  on.  "  If  they  mean  fight, 
let  them  have  fight.  If  we  let  in  one  army  of  aboli 
tionists  out  here,  to  run  off  our  property,  another 
will  follow.  As  soon  as  the  railroad  gets  as  far 
west  as  the  Missouri  River,  they'll  come  out  in  swarms ; 
and  they  will  take  that  new  country  away  from  us. 
That's  what  they  want. 

"  The  South  has  been  swindled  all  along  the  line," 
he  exclaimed,  rising  and  smiting  a  fist  into  a  palm. 
"  We  got  Texas,  yes,  but  it  had  to  be  by  war.  We've 

174 


THE  INVASION 

been  juggled  out  of  California,  which  ought  to  have 
been  a  southern  state.  We  don't  want  these  deserts 
of  Utah  and  New  Mexico,  for  they  won't  raise  cot 
ton.  When  we  try  to  get  into  Cuba,  the  North  and 
all  the  rest  of  the  world  protests.  We  are  cut  off 
from  growth  to  the  south  by  Mexico.  On  the  west 
\ve  have  these  Indians  located.  The  whole  upper 
West  is  air-tight  abolitionist  by  national  law.  Now, 
where  shall  we  go?  These  abolitionists  are  even 
wedging  in  west  of  us.  This  damned  compromise  line 
ought  to  be  cut  off  the  map.  We  ought  to  have  a 
chance  to  grow! " 

Strange  enough  such  speech  sounds  to-day, — 
speech  demanding  growth  for  a  part  of  a  country, 
denying  it  for  the  whole,  speech  ignoring  the  national 
ist  tendency  so  soon  to  overwhelm  all  bounds,  all  creeds 
in  the  making  of  a  mighty  America  that  should  be 
a  home  for  all  the  nations.  But  as  the  gray-headed 
old  doctor  went  on  he  only  voiced  what  was  the  ear 
nest  conviction  of  many  of  the  ablest  men  of  his  time, 
both  of  the  South  and  the  North. 

"  The  South  has  been  robbed.  We  paid  our  share 
of  the  cost  of  this  last  war,  in  blood  and  in  money! 
We  paid  for  our  share  in  the  new  territory  won  for 
the  Union !  And  now  they  deny  us  any  share  of  it ! 
A  little  band  of  ranters,  of  fanatics,  undertake  to  tell 
a  great  country  what  it  shall  do,  what  it  shall  think, 
-  no  matter  even  if  that  is  against  our  own  interests 
and  against  our  traditions !  Gentlemen,  it's  invasion, 
that's  what  it  is,  and  that's  my  answer,  so  far  as  my 

175 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

honest  conscience  and  all  my  wisdom  go.  It's  war! 
What's  the  next  thing  to  do?  Judge,  we  can  take 
back  your  girl  —  the  legal  right  to  do  that  is  clean. 
But  we  all  know  that  that  may  be  only  a  beginning." 

"  To  me,  sir,"  ventured  Judge  Clayton,  "  the  legal 
side  of  this  is  very  clear,  leaving  aside  our  right  to 
recover  my  property.  They  are  trying  to  shove  their 
fanatical  beliefs  down  our  throats  with  rifle  barrels. 
We  never  used  to  stand  that  sort  of  thing  down  here. 
I  don't  think  we  will  begin  it  now !  " 

The  Honorable  William  Jones  helped  himself  to 
whisky,  altogether  forgetting  his  principle  of  taking  but 
one  drink  a  day.  "If  them  damned  abolitionists 
would  only  stay  at  home,  we  could  afford  to  sit  quiet 
an'  let  'em  howl;  but  when  they  come  into  our  door- 
yard  an'  begin  to  howl,  it's  time  somethin'  ought  to 
be  did.  I  'low  we'll  have  to  fight." 

"  We  will  fight,"  said  Dunwody  slowly  and  gravely. 
A  faint  picture  of  the  possible  future  was  passing  be 
fore  his  mind. 

"What  boat  are  these  men  using?"  asked  Doctor 
Jamieson,  turning  to  young  Desha. 

"  Little  old  scow  named  the  Helen  Bell.  She  can't 
steam  up-stream  a  hundred  miles  a  week.  She  ties 
up  every  night.  We  can  easy  catch  her,  up  above  St. 
Genevieve,  if  we  ride  fast." 

"  That  looks  feasible  to  me,"  remarked  Judge  Clay 
ton,  and  the  others  nodded  their  approval. 

Judge  Clayton  dropped  into  a  seat,  as  he  replaced 
his  glass  on  the  nearest  table.  "  By  the  way,  Colonel 

1/6 


THE  INVASION 

Dunwody,"  said  he,  "  there  was  something  right 
strange  happened  on  the  Vernon,  coming  down  the 
Ohio,  and  I  thought  maybe  you  could  help  us  figure 
it  out.  There  was  another  disappearance  —  that  ex 
traordinarily  beautiful  young  lady  who  was  there  — • 
you  remember  her?  No  one  knew  what  became  of 
her.  When  I  heard  about  that  Lily  girl's  escape,  I 
sent  my  men  with  the  two  bucks  on  down  home,  with 
instructions  for  a  little  training,  so  they  would  not  try 
the  underground  again  right  soon.  But  now  — " 

"  Now  about  that  Lily  girl,"  interrupted  the  Honor 
able  William  Jones,  who  had  once  more  forgotten  his 
temperance  resolutions, — "  But  hello,  Colonel,  what's 
this,  wha-a-at's  this?  " 

He  picked  up  and  exposed  to  view  a  small  object 
which  he  saw  lying  on  the  hall  floor.  It  was  a  small 
pin  of  shell  and  silver,  such  as  ladies  sometimes  used 
for  fastening  the  hair. 

"  Somehow,  I  got  the  idea  you  was  a  bachelor 
man,"  went  on  the  Honorable  William  cheerfully. 
"  Thought  you  lived  here  all  alone  in  solitary  splen- 
jure;  never  looked  at  a  woman  in  your  whole  life 
in  the  whole  memory  of  man.  But,  looky-here,  now, 
what's  this?" 

Dunwody,  suddenly  confused,  could  only  wonder 
whether  his  face  showed  what  he  really  felt.  His 
guest  continued  his  investigation. 

"  An'  looky-there  on  the  table !  "  pointing  where 
some  servant  apparently  had  placed  yet  another  article 
of  ladies'  apparel,  dropped  by  accident,  a  dainty  glove 

177 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

of  make  such  as  no  servant  of  that  country  ever  saw, 
much  less  used.  "  Come  now,"  blithely  went  on  the 
gentleman  from  Belmont.  "  Things  is  lookin'  mighty 
suspicious,  mighty  suspicious.  Why  didn't  you  tell 
us  when  you-all  was  married  ?  " 

A  sudden  start  might  have  drawn  attention  to  Judge 
Clayton,  but  he  controlled  himself.  And  if  a  slight 
smile  assailed  his  lips,  at  least  he  was  able  to  suppress 
it.  Nothing,  however,  could  suppress  the  curiosity 
of  the  able  student  of  Roman  history.  "  I'll  just  take 
a  little  prowl  around,"  said  he. 

He  was  rewarded  in  his  search.  A  little  hair-pin 
lay  at  the  first  step  of  the  stair.  He  fell  upon  it  with 
uproarious  glee. 

"  Trail's  gittin'  hot,"  said  he.  "  I  reckon  I'll  go 
on  up." 

"No!"  cried  Dunwody  suddenly,  and  sprang  to 
the  foot  of  the  stair.  "  Please !  —  that  is,—  "  he  hesi 
tated.  "  If  you  will  kindly  wait  a  moment,  I  will  have* 
the  servants  put  your  room  in  order  for  you  before 
you  go  up." 

"Oho!"  cried  the  Honorable  William.  "Don't 
want  us  to  find  out  a  single  thing!  House  o'  mystery, 
ah,  ha!  Doctor  here,  too!  Tell  us,  anybody  died 
here  to-day  ?  " 

Doctor  Jamieson  answered  by  quietly  stepping  to 
the  side  of  Dunwody.  Judge  Clayton,  without  com 
ment,  joined  them,  and  the  three  edged  in  between 
the  exhilarated  gentleman  and  the  stairway  which  he 
sought  to  ascend. 

178 


Things  is  lookin'   mighty  suspicious" 


THE  INVASION 

"  I  was  just  saying,  gentlemen,"  remarked  Judge 
Clayton  quietly,  "  that  I  was  sure  it  would  give  us  all 
much  pleasure  to  take  a  stroll  around  these  beautiful 
grounds  with  Colonel  Dunwody." 

He  looked  Dunwody  calmly  in  the  eye,  and  the  lat 
ter  knew  he  had  a  friend.  He  knew  perfectly  well 
that  Judge  Clayton  did  not  for  an  instant  suppose 
that  these  articles  ever  had  belonged  to  any  servant. 
On  the  contrary ;  it  was  possible  he  remembered  where 
and  in  whose  possession  he  had  seen  them  before. 
But  nothing  more  was  said  about  the  beautiful  young 
lady  of  the  Mount  Vernon. 

"  You  have  a  beautiful  place  here,  Colonel  Dun 
wody,  beautiful !  "  said  Clayton  carelessly,  casting  an 
arm  over  the  other's  shoulders  and  leading  the  way 
to  the  front  door.  "  It  reminds  me  of  our  old  family 
home  back  in  Virginia.  Come,  gentlemen ;  let  us  have 
a  more  careful  look  at  so  well-chosen  a  locality.  It 
is  improved  —  improved,  gentlemen,  as  well  as  it 
originally  was  chosen.  But  look  at  those  hills !  " 


179 


THE    ARGUMENT 

TO  the  heated  imagination  of  the  Honorable  Wil 
liam  Jones  something  still  remained  to  be  ex 
plained,  and  he  remained  anxious  to  continue  the 
conversation  on  the  topic  foremost  in  his  mind. 

"  Look  around  here,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  extend 
ing  an  eloquent  arm.  "  Behold  them  mountings. 
Look  at  them  trees  surrounding  this  valley  of  secrets. 
The  spoils  of  war  belongs  to  him  that  has  fit  —  the 
captives  of  the  bow  and  spear  are  his'n.  How  said 
Brennus  the  Gaul,  when  he  done  vanquished  Rome? 
*  Woe  to  the  conquered ! '  said  he.  '  Woe  to  them  that 
has  fell  to  our  arms ! '  Now  it's  the  same  right  here. 
Look  at  — " 

"  I  was  just  going  to  remark,"  suavely  broke  in 
Judge  Clayton,  "  that  of  the  many  mountain  views  of 
our  southern  country,  this  seems  to  me  one  of  the 
most  satisfactory.  I  have  never  seen  a  more  restful 
scene  than  this,  nor  a  morning  more  beautiful.  But, 
Missouri ! "  he  added  almost  with  mournfulness. 
"  What  a  record  of  strife  and  turmoil !  " 

Dunwody  nodded.  "  As  when  Missouri  was  ad 
mitted,  for  instance,"  he  said  smilingly. 

"Precisely!"  rejoined  Clayton,  biting  meditatively 
180 


THE  ARGUMENT 

at  a  plucked  grass  stem.  "  The  South  gets  a  state, 
the  North  demands  one !  When  Missouri  came  in, 
Illinois  also  was  admitted  —  one  free  against  one 
slave  state.  Politics, —  nothing  more.  Missouri  would 
break  the  balance  of  power  if  she  came  alone  and 
unpaired  as  a  slave  state,  so  the  North  paired  her 
with  Maine,  and  let  her  in,  with  a  string  tied  to  her! 
Slavery  already  existed  here,  as  in  all  these  other  states 
that  had  been  admitted  with  it  existent.  What  the 
North  tried  to  do  was  to  abolish  slavery  where  it  had 
already  existed,  legally,  and  under  the  full  permission 
of  the  Constitution.  All  of  the  Louisiana  Purchase 
had  slavery  when  we  bought  it,  and  under  the  Consti 
tution  Congress  could  not  legislate  slavery  out  of  it." 

The  younger  men  of  the  party  listened  to  him 
gravely,  even  eagerly.  Regarding  the  personal  arbi 
trament  of  arms  which  they  now  faced,  they  were  in 
different  ;  but  always  they  were  ready  to  hear  the 
arguments  pro  and  con  of  that  day,  when  indeed  this 
loosely  organized  republic  had  the  giant  wolf  of  slavery 
by  the  ear. 

"  But  they  claimed  the  right  of  the  moral  law !  " 
said  Dunwody  finally. 

"  The  moral  law  !  Who  is  the  judge  of  that  ?  Gov 
ernments  are  not  run  by  that.  If  we  overthrow  our 
whole  system  of  jurisprudence,  why,  I've  nothing  to 
say.  That's  anarchy,  not  government.  The  South 
is  growing  faster  relatively  than  the  North.  The 
politicians  on  both  sides  are  scared  about  the  balance 
of  power,  and  they're  simply  taking  advantage  of  this 

181 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

cry  of  morality.  They're  putting  the  moralists  out 
as  cat's-paws  to  the  fire!"  Judge  Clayton  almost 
abandoned  his  usual  calm. 

"  I  imagine,"  ventured  Doctor  Jamieson,  "  that  Mis 
souri  had  as  good  a  right  to  come  in  unrestricted  as 
Louisiana  had  in  1812,  or  Arkansas  in  1836." 

"  That  argument  was  admitted  by  statesmen,  but  it 
was  denied  by  politicians :  I  make  a  distinction  be 
tween  the  two,"  commented  Dunwody. 

"  Yes,"  rejoined  Judge  Clayton.  "  The  politicians 
of  the  House,  controlled  by  the  North,  would  not  give 
up  the  intention  to  regulate  us  into  a  place  where  it 
could  hold  us  down.  '  Very  well,'  said  the  Senate  — 
and  there  were  a  few  statesmen  in  the  Senate  then 
-'  then  you  shall  not  have  Maine  admitted  on  your 
own  side  of  the  line ! '  And  that  was  how  Missouri 
sneaked  into  this  Union  —  this  state,  one  of  the  rich 
est  parts  of  the  Union  —  by  virtue  of  a  compromise 
which  even  waited  until  Maine  was  ready  to  come  in ! 
Talk  of  principles  —  it  was  politics,  and  nothing  less. 
That's  your  Missouri  Compromise;  but  has  the  North 
ever  considered  it  so  sacred?  She's  stuck  to  it  when 
it  was  good  politics,  and  forgotten  it  when  that  was 
more  to  her  interest.  The  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States  will  declare  the  whole  Missouri  Com 
promise  unconstitutional  at  no  late  date.  And  what 
it  is  going  to  do  with  Mr.  Clay's  compromise,  of  this 
year,  the  Lord  only  knows." 

It  was  young  Yates  who  at  length  ventured  to 
interrupt  in  his  soft  and  drawling  tones.  "  I  don't 

182 


DOCTOR  JAMIESON   CALMLY   TOOK   SNUFF 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

see  how  the  No'th  can  charge  us  up  with  much. 
Whenever  they  get  into  trouble  and  want  help  in  a 
trade,  or  a  fight,  or  a  argument,  why,  they  come 
south !  " 

Doctor  Jamieson  calmly  took  snuff.  '  Time  was, 
when  we  first  came  in  as  a  state,"  said  he,  "  that  we 
didn't  take  these  attempts  of  the  North  to  regulate 
us  any  too  tamely." 

"  I  don't  know  about  that,"  commented  Judge  Clay 
ton.  "  Your  '  moral  law,'  your  '  higher  law,'  gentle 
men,  I  don't  find  in  my  legal  reading.  It  was  personal 
liberty  that  took  every  man  west,  but  we've  stood 
and  stickled  for  the  actual  law,  and  we've  been  robbed 
under  it :  robbed  as  a  state,  and  now  they  want  to 
rob  us  as  individuals.  Gentlemen,  these  men  are 
carrying  off  a  girl  of  mine  worth,  say  fifteen  hundred 
to  two  thousand.  I  say  deliberately  that,  when  these 
armed  invaders  come  to  cross  this  state  with  purposes 
such  as  that,  there  is  full  process  of  law  under  which 
they  can  be  turned  back.  For  instance,  you,  Colonel 
Dunwody,  are  a  United  States  marshal.  I've  the  honor 
to  represent  the  judiciary  of  this  state.  We  haven't 
time  now  to  put  the  matter  in  the  hands  of  the  courts 
or  of  the  legislature.  But  it  seems  to  me  — 

"  Men,"  said  young  Desha  tersely,  "  we're  wastin' 
time.  We've  made  our  medicine.  Let's  hit  the  war 
trail." 

Dunwody  smiled  at  him.  "  You  boys  are  hot 
headed,"  said  he. 

184 


THE  ARGUMENT 

"  To  hell  with  the  Constitution !  "  exclaimed  the 
Honorable  William  Jones  suddenly. 

"  Well,  it's  one  Constitution  against  the  other,  any 
how,"  said  Clayton.  "  You  can  see  the  intent  of  the 
North  now  plainly  enough.  Indiana  openly  says  she's 
going  to  make  the  Fugitive  Slave  Act  impossible  of 
enforcement.  All  over  the  North  they  call  it  immoral 
and  unchristian  — •  they  reserve  the  right  of  interpret 
ing  both  the  Bible  and  the  Constitution  for  us  —  as 
though  we  weren't  grown  men  ourselves.  That's  the 
sort  of  law  there  is  back  of  this  boat  load  of  fools 
down  there." 

"  Men,  we're  wastin'  time !  "  repeated  young  Desha. 

"Get  the  horses!"  ordered  Dunwody  of  the  near-, 
est  black. 


185 


CHAPTER  XV 

THE   ARBITRAMENT 

IT  was  twilight  when  the  little  cavalcade  from  Tall- 
woods  arrived  at  the  old  river  town  of  St.  Gene- 
vieve.  The  peaceful  inhabitants,  most  of  them  of  the 
old  French  strain,  looked  out  in  amazement  at  the 
jaded  horses,  the  hard-faced  men.  By  this  time  the 
original  half  dozen  riders  had  received  reinforcements 
at  different  plantations,  so  that  a  band  of  perhaps 
thirty  armed  men  had  assembled.  It  had  needed  little 
more  for  the  average  listener  than  a  word  telling  the 
news. 

Brief  inquiry  at  St.  Genevieve  informed  them  that 
the  little  steamer  Helen  Bell  had  passed  the  town 
front  that  day  soon  after  noon.  As  she  depended  al 
most  as  much  upon  poles  and  lines  for  her  up-stream 
progress  as  upon  her  steam,  it  was  thought  likely  she 
would  tie  up  for  the  night  at  some  point  not  more 
than  ten  or  twelve  miles  up-stream.  Dunwody  there 
fore  determined  to  ride  across  the  river  bed  at  its  short 
est  distance,  in  the  attempt  to  intercept  the  steamer, 
relying  upon  chance  to  secure  small  boats  near  at  hand 
should  they  be  necessary.  His  men  by  this  time  were 

1 86 


THE  ARBITRAMENT 

glad  enough  to  dismount  and  take  some  sort  of  refresh 
ment  before  this  last  stage  of  their  journey. 

It  was  dark  when  again  they  mounted,  and  the  old 
river  road,  full  of  wash-outs,  stumps  and  roots,  made 
going  slow  after  the  moon  had  sunk.  They  had,  how 
ever,  no  great  distance  to  ride.  At  a  point  ten  miles 
up  the  river  they  came  upon  a  small  huddle  of  fisher 
men's  huts.  At  one  of  these  Dunwody  knocked,  and 
the  frightened  tenant,  at  first  almost  speechless  at  the 
sight  of  so  many  armed  men,  stammeringly  informed 
him  that  the  steamer  had  passed  late  that  evening  and 
was,  in  his  belief,  tied  up  at  a  little  towhead  island 
not  more  than  half  a  mile  up-stream. 

"  What  boats  have  you  got  here  ?  "  demanded  Dun 
wody. 

"  No  boat  at  all,  Monsieur,"  rejoined  the  habitant. 
"  Maybe  so  four,  five  feesh  boat,  that's  hall." 

"  Bring  them  out !  "  was  the  terse  order. 

They  dismounted  and,  leaving  their  horses  tied  in 
the  wood  at  the  roadside,  they  went  to  the  water's  edge 
and  presently  embarked,  a  half  dozen  men  in  each  of 
as  many  long  river  skiffs,  of  the  type  used  by  the 
fishermen  in  carrying  out  their  nets.  Dunwody  and 
Clayton  were  in  the  foremost  boat  and  each  pulled  an 
oar.  The  little  flotilla  crawled  up-stream  slowly,  hug 
ging  the  bank  and  keeping  to  the  shadows.  At  last  they 
were  opposite  a  low,  willow-covered  island,  and  with 
in  a  narrow  channel  where  the  water,  confined  be 
tween  two  banks,  flowed  with  swifter  current.  At 
length,  at  Dunwody's  quiet  signal,  all  the  boats  paused, 

187 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

the  crews  holding  fast  to  the  overhanging  branches 
of  the  trees  on  the  main  shore  of  the  river. 

"  She's  out  there,  just  across  yonder  island,"  he 
whispered.  "  I  think  I  can  see  her  stack  now.  She 
must  be  tied  up  close.  We  can  slip  in  on  this  side, 
make  a  landing  and  get  aboard  her  before  she  can  stop 
us,  if  we're  careful.  Keep  perfectly  quiet.  Follow 
us,  boys.  Come  on,  Clayton." 

Silently  they  all  cast  loose  and,  each  boat  taking 
its  own  time,  crossed  the  narrow  channel,  heading  up 
stream,  so  as  to  make  the  landing  as  nearly  opposite 
the  steamer  as  possible.  They  crawled  out  through 
the  mud,  and  hauled  up  their  boats  to  safe  places  along 
shore.  Then,  each  man  looking  to  his  own  weapons, 
they  came  together  under  the  cover  of  the  willows. 
Dunwody  again  addressed  them. 

"  We  must  slip  across  there,  seventy  or  eighty  yards 
or  so,  and  get  under  the  side  of  her  before  they  know 
we're  here,"  he  said  in  low  tones.  "  Let  no  one  fire 
a  shot  until  I  order  it.  If  there's  going  to  be  any 
shooting,  be  sure  and  let  them  begin  it.  When  we  get 
across  and  leave  cover,  you'd  better  spread  out  a  little. 
Keep  down  low,  and  don't  shoot  unless  you  have  to. 
Remember  that.  Come  on,  now." 

Inside  the  first  fringe  of  the  tangled  and  heavy  wil 
lows  the  mud  lay  deep  in  a  long,  half-drained  pool 
of  water  which  stood  in  the  middle  of  the  willow- 
covered  flat.  Into  this,  silently  as  they  could,  they 
were  obliged  to  plunge,  wading  across,  sometimes  waist 
deep.  In  spite  of  the  noise  thus  made  there  was  no 

1 88 


THE  ARBITRAMENT 

challenge,  and  the  little  body  of  men,  re-forming  into 
an  irregular  line,  presently  arrived  at  the  outer  edge  of 
the  willow  flat.  Here,  in  the  light  which  hung  above 
the  river's  surface,  they  could  see  the  bulk  of  the 
steamer  looming  almost  in  their  faces.  She  had  her 
landing  planks  out,  and  here  and  there  along  the  nar 
row  sand  beach  a  smouldering  ember  or  so  showed 
where  little  fires  had  been  made.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
more  than  half  of  the  men  of  the  boat  had  preferred 
to  sleep  on  shore.  Their  muffled  bodies,  covered  in 
their  blankets,  might  even  now  be  seen  here  and  there. 

Although  the  sound  of  splashing  and  struggling  in 
the  water  and  mud  had  not  raised  any  of  these  sleepers, 
now  all  at  once,  as  though  by  some  intuition,  the  whole 
bivouac  sprang  into  life.  The  presence  of  so  many 
men  could  not  be  concealed. 

"  Who  goes  there?  "  came  a  military  call  from  the 
boat.  "  Halt !  Halt !  "  came  from  the  line  of  sleepers 
suddenly  awakened.  In  an  instant  both  parties  were 
under  arms. 

It  spoke  well  for  the  temper  of  the  men  with 
Dunwody,  perhaps  better  for  his  serious  counsel  of 
them,  that  none  of  them  made  any  answer.  Silently, 
like  so  many  shadows,  they  dropped  down  to  the 
ground. 

"  What  was  that,  Kammerer?  "  cried  a  voice  on  the 
boat,  calling  down  to  some  one  on  the  shore. 

"  There  are  men  here,"  was  the  answer.  "  Some 
body's  out  there." 

The  night  was  now  astir.  Men  half  clothed,  but 
189 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

fully  armed,  now  lined  up  along  the  beach,  along  the 
gunwale  of  the  boat.  Apparently  there  were  some 
twenty  or  more  of  them  in  all. 

"  River  pirates,  likely,"  said  the  leader,  who  had 
now  come  down  the  gang-plank.  "Fall  in,  men! 
Fall  in ! "  His  voice  rang  sharp  and  clear,  like  that  of 
an  officer. 

"  Line  up  along  this  beach,  and  get  down  low !  " 
he  commanded.  "  Hold  your  fire !  Hold !  —  What 
do  you  mean?  —  What  are  you  doing?"  His  voice 
rose  into  a  scream. 

Some  one  had  fired  a  shot.  At  once  the  thicket  was 
filled  with  armed  men.  Some  unknown  member  of 
the  boat  party,  standing  on  the  deck  behind  the  leader, 
had  fired  at  a  movement  seen  in  the  willows  twenty 
yards  away.  The  aim  was  true.  A  groan  was  answer 
to  the  shot,  even  before  the  exclamation  of  the  leader 
was  made.  Young  Desha  fell  back,  shot  through  the 
body.  His  friends  at  first  did  not  know  that  any  one 
had  been  hurt,  but  to  lie  still  under  fire  ill  suited  their 
wild  temper.  With  a  common  impulse,  and  without 
order,  they  emptied  their  guns  into  the  mass  of  dark 
figures  ranged  along  the  beach.  The  air  \vas  filled  with 
shouts  and  curses.  The  attacking  party  advanced. 
The  narrow  beach  of  sand  and  mud  was  covered  with 
a  struggling  mass  of  fighting  men,  of  which  neither 
party  knew  the  nature  of  the  other,  and  where  the 
combatants  could  scarce  tell  friend  from  foe. 

"  Get  in,  men!  "  cried  Dumvody.  "  Go  on!  Take 
the  boat !  "  He  pressed  on  slowly,  Judge  Clayton  at 

190 


"WHO   ARE   YOU?"    HE   CRIED   SUDDENLY 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

his  side,  and  they  two  passed  on  up  the  gang-plank  and 
into  the  boat  itself.  The  leader  of  the  boat  forces, 
who  had  retired  again  to  the  steamer  deck,  faced  them 
here.  It  was  Dunwody  himself  who  reached  out, 
caught  him  in  a  fell  grip  and  took  away  from  him 
his  rifle. 

"  Call  your  men  off!  "  he  cried.  "  Do  you  all  want 
to  get  killed?" 

"  You  pirates !  "  exclaimed  the  boat  leader  as  soon 
as  he  could  get  his  breath.  "  What  do  you  mean  by 
firing  on  us  here?  We're  peaceable  men  and  on  our 
own  business." 

Dunwody  stood  supporting  himself  on  his  rifle,  the 
stock  of  it  under  his  arm.  "  You  call  this  peace !  " 
he  said.  "  We  didn't  intend  to  attack  you.  We're 
»fter  a  fugitive  slave.  I'm  a  United  States  marshal. 
You've  killed  some  of  our  men,  and  you  fired  first. 
You've  no  right —  Who  are  you?"  he  cried,  sud 
denly  pushing  closer  to  his  prisoner  in  the  half  light. 
"  I  thought  I  knew  your  voice !  You  —  Carlisle  - 
What  are  you  doing  here?  " 

"  I'm  about  my  business,"  rejoined  that  young  offi 
cer  curtly.  "  I've  been  on  your  trail." 

"  Well,  you've  found  me,"  said  Dunwody  grimly. 
"  You  may  wish  you  hadn't." 

The  Northerner  was  not  in  the  least  subdued,  and 
remained  fearless  as  before.  "  That's  fine  talk !  "  he 
said.  "Why  haven't  we  a  right  here?  We're  on  a 
navigable  stream  of  the  United  States,  in  free  waters 
and  in  a  free  country,  and  we're  free  to  do  as  we  pro- 

192 


THE  ARBITRAMENT 

pose.  We're  under  a  free  flag.  What  do  you  mean 
by  firing  into  us?  " 

"  You're  not  navigating  the  river  at  all,"  retorted 
Judge  Clayton.  "  You're  tied  up  to  Missouri  soil. 
The  real  channel  of  the  river  is  away  out  yonder, 
and  you  know  it.  We're  inside  our  right  in  boarding 
you.  We  want  to  know  who  you  are  and  what  you 
are  doing  here,  an  army  officer,  at  the  head  of  men 
armed  in  this  way.  We're  going  to  search  this  boat. 
You've  got  property  of  mine  on  board,  and  we've  the 
legal  right  to  take  it,  and  we're  going  to  take  it. 
You've  killed  some  of  our  posse." 

"  You're  pirates !  "  reiterated  the  northern  leader. 
"  You're  border  ruffians,  and  you  want  to  take  this 
boat.  You'll  have  to  account  for  this." 

"  We  are  ready  to  account  for  it,"  said  Dunwody. 
"  Throw  down  your  arms,  or  we  will  kill  every  man 
of  you.  At  once !  " 

He  swung  heavily  back  on  his  support  as  he  spoke. 
Clayton  caught  him  by  the  arm.  "  You're  hit,  Dun 
wody  !  "  he  said  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Yes,  a  little,"  answered  the  other.  "  Don't  say 
anything."  Slowly  he  pushed  on,  directly  up  to  Car 
lisle,  who  faced  him  fearless  as  ever.  "  Tell  your  men 
to  throw  down  their  guns!  "  demanded  Dunwody  once 
more. 

"  Attention,  company !  "  called  out  the  young  North 
erner.  "Stack  arms!" 

Silently,  in  the  dark,  even  in  the  confusion,  the  be 
leaguered  men  grouped  together  and  leaned  their  rifles 

193 


THE  PURCHASE  TRICE 

against  this  or  that  support.  Silently  they  ranged 
themselves,  some  on  the  deck,  some  still  upon  the 
shore. 

"  Get  lights  now,  at  once !  "  commanded  Dunwody. 
"  We've  got  men  hurt  here.  We'll  have  to  do  some 
thing  at  once.  Jamieson!"  he  cried  out.  "Are  you 
hurt?" 

"  I'm  all  right,"  answered  Doctor  Jamieson  out  of 
the  darkness.  "  Not  a  scratch.  But  there's  a  lot  of 
our  fellows  down." 

"  Take  care  of  them,"  said  Dunwody.  "  We'll  at 
tend  to  the  rest  of  this  business  after  that." 


194 


CHAPTER  XVI 

THE   ADJUDICATION 

A  DISMAL  sight  enough  was  presented  when  fi 
nally  a  few  half-hearted  torches  \vere  pressed 
into  use  to  produce  a  scant  illumination.  What  had 
been  a  commonplace  scene  now  was  become  one  of 
tragedy.  The  bank  of  this  willow-covered  island  had 
assumed  the  appearance  of  a  hostile  shore.  Combat, 
collision,  war  had  taken  the  place  of  recent  peace  and 
silence.  The  night  seemed  ominous,  as  though  not 
even  these  incidents  were  more  than  the  beginning  of 
others  yet  more  serious  soon  to  come. 

Out  of  the  confusion  at  last  there  might  have  been 
heard  the  voice  of  Dunwody,  calling  again  for  Jamie- 
son.  There  was  work  for  the  surgeon  when  the  dead 
and  injured  of  both  sides  at  last  were  brought  aboard 
the  little  steamer  and  ranged  in  a  ghastly  common  row 
along  the  narrow  deck.  "  Take  care  of  them,  Jamie- 
son,"  said  Dunwody  shortly.  He  himself  leaned 
against  the  rail. 

"  You're  hurt  yourself,  Dunwody,"  exclaimed 
Jamieson,  the  blood  dripping  from  his  fingers  when 
he  half  rose.  "  What's  wrong?  " 

195 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Nothing  —  I  got  a  nick  in  my  leg,  I  think,  but 
I'm  all  right.  See  to  the  others." 

Jamieson  bent  over  the  body  of  young  Desha,  who 
had  been  first  to  suffer  here  on  the  debated  ground  of 
Missouri.  He  had  been  shot  through  the  upper  body 
and  had  died  with  little  suffering.  Of  the  assailing 
party  two  others  also  were  beyond  aid,  one  a  young 
planter  who  had  joined  the  party  some  miles  back  be 
yond  St.  Genevieve,  the  other  a  sallow  example  of 
the  "  poor  white  trash  "  who  made  a  certain  part  of 
the  population  of  the  lower  country.  Of  these  both 
were  shot  through  the  head,  and  death  did  not  at  once 
relieve  them.  They  both  lay  groaning  dully.  Jamie- 
son  passed  them  swiftly  by.  The  tally  showed  that  of 
the  Missourians  three  had  been  killed,  four  badly 
wounded,  besides  the  slight  wound  of  Dunwody  and 
that  of  a  planter  by  the  name  of  Sanders,  who  had 
been  shot  through  the  arm. 

Of  the  boat  party,  smaller  in  the  first  place  though 
well  armed,  the  loss  had  been  slightly  less.  Two  men 
had  been  killed  outright  and  three  others  badly 
wounded,  of  these  one,  probably,  fatally  hurt.  To  all 
of  these  Jamieson  ministered  as  best  he  might.  The 
deck  was  wet  with  blood.  Silent  and  saddened  specta 
tors,  the  attacking  party  stood  ranged  along  the  rail 
on  the  side  next  to  the  shore.  On  the  opposite  side 
were  the  sullen  defenders. 

Carlisle,  the  leader  of  the  boat  party,  stood  silent, 
with  lips  tightly  compressed,  not  far  from  where  Dun 
wody  leaned  against  the  rail.  He  made  no  comment 

196 


THE  ADJUDICATION 

on  the  scene  and  was  apparently  not  unused  to  such 
spectacles.  Occasionally  he  bent  over,  the  better  to 
observe  the  results  of  the  surgeon's  work,  but  he  ven 
tured  no  comment  and  indulged  in  no  recriminations. 
His  slight  but  erect  figure  was  military  now  in  its 
formality.  His  face  was  not  handsome,  but  the 
straight  eyes  showed  fearless.  The  brow  was  strong, 
the  nose  straight  and  firm.  Once  he  removed  his 
"  wideawake "  hat  and  passed  a  hand  through  the 
heavy  tangle  of  his  reddish  hair.  The  face  was  that 
of  a  fanatic.  It  was  later  not  unknown  in  yet  bloodier 
fighting. 

The  night  faded  after  all,  at  last.  Along  the  level 
of  the  water's  surface  came  some  glints  from  the 
eastern  sky.  The  horizon  paled  slightly.  At  last  a 
haggard  dawn  came  to  light  the  scene.  The  shadows 
of  the  willow  flat  opened,  and  there  lay  exposed  what 
now  was  a  coast  possessed  by  embattled  forces. 

"  Captain,"  began  Dumvody  at  last,  turning  to  the 
commander  of  the  boat  forces.  "  We  will  be  leaving 
before  long.  As  to  you,  you  will  have  to  turn  back. 
You  will  take  your  boat  down-stream,  if  you  please." 

"  It's  not  as  I  please,"  rejoined  the  other.  "  You 
order  us  back  from  our  journey  at  your  own  peril." 

"  Why  argue  the  matter  ?  "  said  Dunwody  dully. 
"  It  would  do  no  good.  We're  as  much  in  earnest  as 
you  are  about  it,  and  we  have  beaten  you.  You  belong 
to  the  army,  but  these  are  not  enlisted  men,  and  you're 
not  carrying  out  any  orders." 

"  That  part  of  the  argument  is  plain,"  rejoined  the 
197 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

young  officer.  "  But  you  are  mistaken  if  you  think 
you  can  order  me.  I'm  an  officer,  and  I'm  on  my 
own  way,  and  I  am,  therefore,  under  orders.  I  was 
following  a  prisoner  late  in  my  charge  when  I  fell  in 
with  this  party  bound  up  the  river,  to  the  Kansas 
front." 

"  The  courts  may  take  all  that  up.  This  is  Missouri 
soil." 

"  It's  no  case  for  courts,"  answered  the  other  sternly. 
'  This  will  come  before  the  court  of  God  Himself." 

A  bitter  smile  played  over  the  face  of  the  Missour- 
ian.  "  Yon  preach.  Yet  you  yourself  are  lawless  as 
the  worst  law-breakers.  Who  made  our  laws  —  you, 
or  the  whole  people  of  this  country?  And  if  God  is 
your  court,  why  did  you  have  no  better  aid  to-night. 
It's  the  long  arm  wins.  You  see,  we  will  fight." 

"  That  I  agree.  It's  force  that  \vins,  but  not  brute 
force.  You  will  see." 

"  Argument !  "  exclaimed  Dunwody.  "  The  answer 
is  here  at  our  feet  —  it's  in  blood." 

"  So  be  it  then!  "  said  the  other  solemnly.  "  If  it 
means  war,  let  it  be  war.  I  admit  that  we  have  a 
fugitive  slave  on  board  —  a  young  woman  —  I  sup 
pose  that  was  the  excuse  for  your  attack." 

"  It  was  the  cause  of  it;  and  we  intend  to  take  her," 
answered  Dunwody.  "  We  didn't  intend  to  use  vio 
lence  unless  it  was  necessary.  But  as  to  you,  will  you 
take  your  boat  below  and  out  of  this  country  ?  " 

"  I  will  not." 

198 


THE  ADJUDICATION 

"  Very  well,  then,  we'll  take  you  from  your  own 
boat,  and  we'll  make  her  pay  the  penalty." 

"  By  what  right  ?  " 

"  By  the  right  of  the  long  arm,  since  you  insist." 

"  You  would  make  us  prisoners  —  without  any 
process  of  law  whatever !  " 

"  You  can  thresh  that  out  in  your  own  courts  later, 
if  you  like,"  said  Dunwody.  "  Meantime,  we'll  see  if 
I  can't  find  a  place  that  will  hold  you." 

"  Jamieson,"  he  called  out  an  instant  later;  "Clay 
ton  ;  come  here.  Take  the  roll  of  these  men,"  he  went 
on.  "If  any  of  them  want  to  drop  the  thing  at  this 
point  and  go  back,  let  them  give  parole.  They'll  have 
to  agree  to  leave  and  never  come  back  here  again." 

"  That's  an  outrage ! "  broke  out  the  northern 
leader.  "  You  and  your  band  of  ruffians  —  you  talk 
as  though  you  owned  this  state,  as  though  this  river 
weren't  made  as  a  highway  of  this  continent.  Don't 
you  know  that  not  even  a  river  can  be  owned  by  an 
entire  state?  " 

"  We  own  this  part  of  it  to-day,"  rejoined  Dunwody 
simply.  "  This  is  our  judiciary.  These  are  our  leg 
islators  whom  you  see."  He  slapped  his  rifle  stock, 
touched  a  revolver  butt  at  his  belt.  "  You  left  the 
highway  when  you  tied  up  to  our  shores.  The  temper 
of  my  men  is  such  that  you  are  lucky  to  have  a  parole 
offered  to  you.  You  deserve  not  the  treatment  of 
soldiers,  but  of  spies.  You  disgrace  your  uniform. 
These  men  are  only  fools.  But  what  do  they  say, 

199 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Clayton?"  he  demanded  turning  to  the  latter  as  he 
finally  returned. 

"  They  consider  the  expedition  at  an  end,"  returned 
the  judge.  "  Three  of  them  want  to  go  on  home  to 
St.  Louis.  Yates  yonder  is  in  favor  of  hanging  them 
all.  The  boys  are  bitter  about  losing  Desha." 

Dunwody  looked  the  young  leader  calmly  in  the 
face.  "  You  hear,"  said  he.  "  But  you  shall  see  that 
we  are  not  such  ruffians  at  heart,  in  spite  of  all.  It's 
my  intention  to  conclude  this  matter  as  decently  as 
possible." 

"  The  others  are  willing  to  return,"  continued  Judge 
Clayton.  "  They  want  to  know  what  their  captain  in 
tends." 

"  Their  captain  does  not  intend  to  surrender,"  re 
joined  the  latter  fearlessly.  "  Let  those  desert  who 
like." 

"  I  am  with  you,  Captain,"  quietly  said  a  tall  young 
man,  of  German  accent,  who  had  been  foremost  in  the 
fighting. 

"  Good,  Lieutenant  Kammerer,  I  knew  you'd  stick," 
commented  the  leader. 

"  As  to  the  boat,  Judge  Clayton,"  resumed  Dun 
wody,  "  what  shall  we  do  with  her?  " 

"  Burned  boats  tell  no  tales,"  here  called  out  young 
Yates  sententionsly. 

"  You  hear,"  said  Dunwody.  "  My  men  are  not 
children." 

"  It's  piracy,  that's  all,"  rejoined  the  young  leader. 

"  Not  in  the  least,  sir,"  broke  in  Judge  Clayton. 
200 


I  AM    WITH    YOU,  CAFTAIN 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  We'll  burn  her  here,  tied  to  this  bank  on  Missouri 
soil.  The  river  fell  during  the  night  —  some  inches 
in  all  —  she's  hard  aground  on  the  shore." 

"  Fall  in,  men !  "  commanded  Dunwody  suddenly. 
"  Jamieson,  fix  up  my  leg,  the  best  you  can.  It'll  have 
to  take  its  chances,  for  we're  in  a  hurry.  About  the 
paroled  men,  get  them  in  the  rowboats  and  set  them 
loose.  Get  your  crippled  men  off  the  boat  at  once, 
Jamieson.  This  couple  of  prisoners  I  am  going  to 
take  home  with  me.  The  rest  can  go. 

"  But  there's  one  thing  we've  forgotten  —  where's 
that  girl?"  He  turned  to  the  northern  leader. 

"  She's  below,  in  the  cabin." 

"  Go  get  her,  Clayton,"  commanded  Dunwody. 
"  We'll  have  to  be  quick  now." 

Clayton  found  his  way  down  the  narrow  companion- 
way  and  in  the  darkness  of  the  unlighted  lower  deck 
fumbled  for  the  lock  of  the  cabin.  When  he  threw 
open  the  door  he  found  the  interior  dimly  lighted  by 
the  low  window.  At  first  he  could  make  out  nothing, 
but  at  last  got  a  glimpse  of  a  figure  at  the  farther  side 
of  the  little  room.  "  Who's  there !  "  he  demanded, 
weapon  ready. 

There  was  no  answer,  but  slowly,  wearily,  with  un 
speakable  sadness  in  every  gesture,  there  rose  the 
figure  of  the  girl  Lily,  around  whose  fortunes  had  cen 
tered  all  these  turbulent  scenes. 

In  the  confusion  which  followed,  no  one  had  a  clear 
conception  of  all  the  events  which  concluded  this 
tragic  encounter.  Dunwody,  Jamieson  and  Clayton 

202 


SOON   THE   FIRE   SETTLED   TO   ITS    WORK 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

cleared  the  men  from  the  decics  of  the  boat.  The 
wounded  hobbled  to  a  place  of  shelter.  The  dead 
were  laid  out  in  a  long  and  ghastly  row  at  the  edge  of 
the  willow  grove.  Meantime,  busy  hands  brought 
dried  brush  and  piled  it  up  against  the  side  of  the 
boat  as  she  lay  against  the  bank,  the  leader  in  this 
being  the  Honorable  William  Jones,  who  now  mysteri 
ously  reappeared,  after  a  temporary  absence  which  had 
not  been  noted.  The  faint  light  of  a  match  showed 
in  the  dim  dawn.  There  came  a  puff  of  smoke  or  so, 
a  tiny  crackling.  A  denser  burst  of  smoke  pierced 
through  the  light  flames.  Soon  the  fire  settled  to  its 
work,  eating  in  even  against  the  damp  planking  of  the 
boat.  The  drier  railings  caught,  the  deck  floors,  the 
sides  of  the  cabin.  In  half  an  hour  the  Helen  Bell, 
early  border  transport,  was  a  mass  of  flames.  In  a 
quarter-hour  more,  her  stacks  had  fallen  overboard 
and  the  hulk  lay  consumed  half  to  the  water-line. 


204 


CHAPTER  XVII 

THE    LADY    AT    TALL  WOODS 

THE  arrival  of  the  four  visitors  at  Tallwoods, 
and  their  departure  so  soon  thereafter,  were 
events  of  course  not  unknown  to  Josephine,  but  only 
conjecture  could  exist  in  her  mind  as  to  the  real 
nature  of  the  errand  in  either  case.  Jeanne,  her  maid, 
speculated  as  to  this  openly. 

"  That  docteur  also,  he  is  now  gone,"  said  she, 
ruefully.  "  But  yet,  behold  the  better  opportunity 
for  us  to  escape,  Madame.  Ah,  were  it  not  for  the 
injury  of  maclame,  I  should  say,  let  us  at  once  set 
out  —  we  could  follow  the  road." 

"But  they  will  return!"  exclaimed  her  mistress. 
"  We  can  not  tell  how  long  they  will  be  gone.  And, 
Jeanne,  I  suffer." 

"  Ah,  my  poor  angel !  You  suffer !  It  is  criminal ! 
We  dare  not  start.  But  believe  me,  Madame,  even  so, 
it  is  not  all  misfortune.  Suppose  we  remain ;  suppose 
Monsieur  Dunwodee  comes  back?  You  suffer.  He 
has  pity.  Pity  is  then  your  friend.  In  that  itself  are 
you  most  strong.  Content  yourself  to  be  weak  and 
helpless  for  a  time.  Not  even  that  brute,  that  assas 
sin,  that  criminal,  dare  offend  you  now,  Madame. 

205 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

But  —  of  course  he  is  impossible  for  one  like  madame ; 
yet  I  have  delight  to  hear  even  a  brute,  an  assassin, 
make  such  love!  Ah,  mon  Dicul" 

Jeanne  pursed  a  lip  impartially.  "  Mon  Dieu! 
And  he  was  repressed,  by  reason  of  my  presence.  He 
was  restrained,  none  the  less,  by  this  raiment  here  of 
another,  so  mysterious.  Ah,  if  he  — 

"  Tais-toi  done,  Jeanne !  "  exclaimed  her  mistress. 
"  No  more !  We  shall  stay  until  to-morrow,  at  least." 

And  so  the  day  passed.  The  sleepy  life  of  the  old 
plantation  went  on  about  them  in  silence.  As  a  wild 
animal  pursued,  oppressed,  but  for  the  time  left  alone 
in  some  hiding-place,  gains  greater  courage  with  each 
moment  of  freedom  from  pursuit,  so  Josephine  St. 
Auban  gained  a  groundless  hope  with  the  passing  of 
the  hours.  Even  the  long  night  at  length  rolled  away. 
Jeanne  slept  in  her  mistress'  room.  Nothing  oc 
curred  to  disturb  their  rest. 

It  was  evening  of  the  second  day,  and  the  shadows 
again  were  lying  long  across  the  valley,  when  there 
came  slowly  filing  into  view  along  the  turn  of  the  road 
the  band  of  returning  riders.  At  their  head  was  the 
tall  form  of  Dunwody,  the  others  following,  straggling, 
drooping  in  their  saddles  as  though  from  long  hours 
of  exertion.  The  cavalcade  slowly  approached  and 
drew  up  at  the  front  door.  As  they  dismounted  the 
faces  of  all  showed  haggard,  worn  and  stern. 

"  There  has  been  combat,  Madame !  "  whispered 
Jeanne.  "  See,  he  has  been  hurt.  Look  —  those 
others!" 

206 


THE  LADY  AT  TALLWOODS 

Dunwody  got  out  of  his  saddle  with  difficulty.  He 
limped  as  he  stood  now.  A  slender  man  near  him  got 
down  unaided,  a  tall  German-looking  man  followed 
suit.  The  group  broke  apart  and  showed  a  girl,  rid 
ing,  bound.  Some  one  undid  the  bonds  and  helped 
her  to  the  ground. 

All  of  these  things  were  apparent  from  the  vantage 
ground  of  the  upper  story  window,  but  Josephine,  un 
willing  to  play  at  spying,  saw  none  of  it.  At  last, 
however,  an  exclamation  from  Jeanne  caused  her  to 
hasten  to  the  window.  "  Mon  Dicu,  Madame! 
Madame,  look  —  it  is  that  officer  —  it  is  Monsieur  le 
Capitaine  Carlisle !  Look !  why  then  — " 

With  no  more  than  a  glance,  her  mistress  turned, 
flung  open  the  door  of  the  room,  hurried  down  the 
stair,  passed  out  of  the  hall  and  so  fronted  these  new 
comers  at  the  gallery.  They  stood  silent  as  they  saw 
her.  She  herself  was  first  to  speak. 

"  What  are  you  doing  with  that  woman  ?  "  she  de 
manded. 

They  all  stood  in  silence,  looking  at  her,  at  this 
apparition  of  a  woman  —  a  young  and  beautiful 
woman  —  here  at  Tallwoods,  where  none  had  known 
of  any  woman  these  many  years.  Clayton  himself 
made  no  comment.  The  Honorable  William  Jones 
smiled  broadly.  Dunwody  removed  his  hat.  "  Gen 
tlemen,"  said  he,  "  this  is  the  Countess  St.  Auban,  who 
has  come  to  see  these  parts  of  our  country.  Madam," 
he  added,  "  this  is  Judge  Clayton.  He  was  on  the 
Mount  Vcrnon  with  us.  Lieutenant  Kammerer,  I 

207 


AN   EXCLAMATION    FROM    JEANNE  CAUSF.D    HER   TO    HASTEN 


THE  LADY  AT  TALLWOODS 

think,  is  the  name  of  this  gentleman  who  came  down 
here  to  teach  us  a  few  things.  There  has  been  some 
fighting.  Mr.  Yates  —  Mr.  Jones.  And  this  gentle 
man  " —  he  stepped  back  so  that  Carlisle  might  come 
into  view  — "  I  think  you  already  know." 

'"  I  knowed  it !  I  knoxved  it !  "  broke  in  the  Hon 
orable  William  Jones.  "  I  seen  all  along  there  was 
a  woman  in  this  house.  I  said  — " 

Josephine  turned  to  him  a  swift  glance.  "  There 
is  a  lady  in  this  house." 

"  Yes,"  broke  out  Carlisle,  "  and  all  of  you  remem 
ber  it.  Don't  I  know!  Madam,  what  are  you  doing 
here?" 

"  Kind  words  from  rny  former  jailer?  So!  "  She 
rewarded  him  none  too  much  for  his  quick  sympathy. 
Then,  relenting ;  "  But  at  least  you  were  better  than 
this  new  jailer.  Are  you,  too,  a  prisoner?  I  can't 
understand  all  this." 

"  But  you're  hurt,  Madam,"  began  Carlisle. 
"  How  is  that?  Have  you  also  been  attacked  by  these 
ruffians?  I  did  not  dream  Dumvody  was  actually  so 
much  a  ruffian." 

"  Madam,"  said  Dunwody  slowly  turning  to  her,  "  I 
can't  exchange  words  now.  There  has  been  an  en 
counter,  as  I  said.  There  have  been  men  killed,  and 
some  of  us  have  been  hurt.  The  northern  abolition 
ists  have  made  their  first  attack  on  southern  soil. 
This  gentleman  is  an  army  officer.  I'm  a  United 
States  marshal,  and  as  a  prisoner  he's  safe  in  talking. 
He  has  come  here  on  his  own  moral  initiative,  in  the 

209 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

interest  of  what  you  call  freedom.  You  two  should 
be  friends  once  more.  But  would  you  mind  helping 
me  make  these  people  comfortable  as  we  can?  " 

"You  are  hurt,  yourself,  then!"  she  said,  turn 
ing  toward  him,  seeing  him  wince  as  he  started  up 
the  step. 

"  No ;  "  he  said  curtly,  "  it's  nothing." 

"  That  girl  yonder  —  ah !  she  has  been  whipped ! 
My  God  in  Heaven!  What  is  to  be  next,  in  this  wil 
derness!  Is  there  indeed  here  no  law,  no  justice?  " 

The  deep  voice  of  the  German,  Kammerer,  broke  in. 
"  Thank  God  in  Heaven,  at  least  you  are  a  woman !  " 
he  said,  turning  to  her. 

"A  woman!  Why  thank  Gor  for  that?  Here,  at 
least,  a  woman's  sole  privilege  is,  insult  and  abuse." 

The  others  heard  but  did  not  all  understand  her 
taunt.  Tears  sprang  to  the-  ?yes  of  young  Carlisle. 
"  Don't  talk  so !  "  was  all  he  could  exclaim,  feeling 
himself  not  wholly  innocent  of  reproach.  Dunwody's 
face  flushed  a  deep  red.  He  made  no  answer  except 
to  call  aloud  for  the  old  house  servant.  Sally,  who 
presently  appeared. 

"  Madam,"  said  Dunwody,  in  a  low  voice,  limping- 
forward  toward  Josephine,  "  you  and  I  must  declare 
some  sort  of  truce.  The  world  has  all  gone  helter- 
skelter.  What'll  become  of  us  I  don't  know;  but  we 
need  a  woman  here  now." 

She  gazed  at  him  steadily,  but  made  no  reply. 
Growling,  he  turned  away  and  limped  up  the  steps, 
beckoning  the  others  to  follow  into  the  hall. 

2IO 


THE  LADY  AT  TALLWOODS 

They  entered,  awkward,  silent,  and  stood  about, 
none  knowing  what  was  best  to  do.  Dunwody,  luck 
less  and  unhappy  as  he  was,  still  remembered  some 
thing  of  his  place  as  host,  and  would  have  led  them, 
friends  and  enemies,  into  the  dining-room  beyond  in 
search  of  some  refreshment.  He  limped  forward, 
without  any  support.  In  the  door  between  the  hall 
and  the  farther  room  there  lay  a  mounted  rug,  of  a 
bear  skin.  He  tripped  at  its  edge  and  fell,  catching 
vainly  at  the  door.  A  sharp  exclamation  escaped  him. 
He  did  not  at  once  rise.  It  was  the  arm  of  his 
prisoner,  Carlisle,  who  aided  him.  "  You  are  hurt, 
sir." 

"  No,  no,  go  away ! "  exclaimed  Dunwody,  as  he 
struggled  to  his  feet. 

"  One  bone's  gone,"  he  said  presently  in  a  low  tone 
to  Clayton.  "  I  broke  it  when  I  fell  that  time." 

A  curious  moment  of  doubt  and  indecision  was  at 
hand.  The  men,  captors  and  captives,  looked  blankly 
at  one  another.  It  was  the  mind  of  a  woman  which 
first  rose  to  this  occasion.  In  an  instant  Josephine, 
with  a  sudden  exclamation,  flung  aside  indecision. 

"  Jeanne !  Sally !  "  she  called.  "  Show  these  gen 
tlemen  to  their  rooms,"  naming  Clayton  and  Jones. 
"  Sir,"  she  said  to  Dunwody,  whose  injury  she  did 
not  guess  to  be  so  severe,  "  you  must  lie  down.  Gen 
tlemen,  pass  into  the  other  room,  there,  if  you  please." 
She  motioned  to  the  two  prisoners,  and  stepped  to 
Dunwody's  side. 

"  I  can't  have  this,"  he  broke  out  suddenly. 
211 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  You're  hurt,   yourself.     Go   to  your   room.     I   tell 
you,  it's  nothing." 

"  Be  quiet,"  she  said,  close  at  his  ear.     "  I'm  not 
afraid  of  you  now." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

ON    PAROLE 

IN  this  strange  house  party,  a  truce  was  tacitly 
agreed.  It  seemed  sufficient  that  the  future  for 
the  time  should  take  care  of  itself.  Dunwody's  in 
jury  left  Clayton  practically  leader  of  the  Missouri- 
ans.  His  party  gravitated  toward  him,  while  oppo 
site  sat  the  two  prisoners,  Carlisle  and  Kammerer, 
composed  and  silent,  now  and  then  exchanging  a 
glance  with  each  other,  but  making  no  spoken  com 
ment. 

Dunwody,  in  his  own  room,  was  looking  into  the 
seriousness  of  his  injury,  with  the  old  trapper 
Eleazar,  once  more  summoned  as  readiest  physician. 
Eleazar  shook  his  head  \vhen  he  had  stripped  off  the 
first  bloody  bandages  from  the  limb.  "  She'll  been 
broke,''  was  his  dictum.  "  She'll  been  bad  broke. 
We  mus'  have  docteur  soon."  For  half  an  hour  the 
old  man  did  the  best  he  could,  cleansing  and  re- 
bandaging. 

"  We  mils'  have  docteur! "  complained  he,  mindful 
of  Jamieson,  far  away,  busy  with  cases  as  bad  as 
this. 

For  half  an  hour  or  so  Josephine  remained  in  her 
213 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

own  room  above,  having  done  all  she  could  to  establish 
some  sort  of  order.  All  at  once  to  her  strained  senses 
there  seemed  to  flash  some  apprehension  of  a  coming 
danger.  She  rose,  tiptoed  to  her  door,  looked  down. 
A  moment  later  she  turned,  and  caught  up  an  old 
pistol  which  hung  on  the  wall  near  the  door  in  the 
narrow  hallway.  Silently  and  swiftly  she  stepped 
forward  to  the  head  of  the  stair. 

What  she  saw  now  was  this:  Carlisle  and  Kam- 
merer,  themselves  now  armed  with  weapons  care 
lessly  left  in  the  lower  hall,  had  passed  unnoticed  from 
the  dining-room,  and  now  were  tiptoeing  down  the 
hall  toward  the  door  of  Dunwody's  apartment. 
Clayton  and  his  men,  dulled  with  loss  of  sleep,  had 
allowed  them  to  leave  the  main  room,  and  these 
two,  soldiers  by  training,  had  resolved  to  turn  the 
tables  and  take  possession  of  the  place.  Their  plans 
were  at  the  point  of  success.  They  had  almost 
reached  the  door  of  Dunwody's  room,  weapons  in 
hand,  when  from  above  they  heard  a  sharp  command. 

"  Halt,  there !  "  a  woman  cried  to  them. 

They  turned  and  looked  up,  arrested  by  the  un 
mistakable  quality  in  the  tones.  They  saw  her  lean 
ing  against  the  baluster  of  the  stair,  one  arm  bound 
tightly  to  her  side,  the  other  resting  a  revolver  barrel 
along  the  baluster  and  glancing  down  it  with  a  fear 
less  eye.  She  took  a  step  or  two  lower  down  the 
stair,  sliding  the  weapon  with  her.  "  What  are  you 
doing  there  ?  "  she  demanded. 

A  half-humorous  twist  came  to  the  mouth  of  Car- 
214 


"Halt   there!"    a   \voman   cried 


ON  PAROLE 

lisle.  He  answered  quietly,  as  he  raised  a  hand  for 
silence : 

"  Just  about  what  you  might  expect  us  to  do. 
We're  trying  to  take  care  of  ourselves.  But  how 
about  yourself?  I  thought  you  were  with  us, 
Madam.  I  had  heard  that  you  — 

"  Come,"  she  answered,  lowering  the  weapon  and 
stepping  swiftly  down  the  stairs.  "  Come  outside, 
where  we  can  talk." 

The  three  now  passed  out  the  open  front  door  to 
the  wide  gallery,  which  lay  in  the  dim  twilight  un- 
tenanted.  Kammerer  kept  his  eyes  still  on  the  muz 
zle  of  the  revolver.  Carlisle  laughed.  '  That's 
right,  Kammerer,"  said  he.  "  Be  careful  when  a 
woman  gets  the  drop  on  you.  She'll  shoot  quicker 
than  a  man,  because  she  doesn't  know  any  better.  I 
don't  doubt  you  had  a  reason  for  stopping  us,  Madam," 
said  he ;  "  but  what  ?  —  that  puzzles  me." 

"  How  came  you  here?  "  she  demanded.  "  You  left 
me.  I  don't  know  anything  about  what's  going  on. 
I'm  all  at  sea. 

"  So  are  we  all,  Madam.  But  I'll  tell  you  all  I 
know.  I  left  you  for  several  reasons.  I  knew  my 
main  errand  with  you  was  done.  My  post  is  out  be 
yond,  up  the  Missouri.  I  was  on  my  way  there  when 
I  got  orders  to  take  you  with  me,  as  you  know.  I 
concluded  to  drop  off  and  send  a  telegraphic  report 
to  Washington,  and  to  ask  consent  to  go  on  out  to 
my  post.  I  saw  your  note  to  Dunwody.  You  had 
then  chosen  a  .new  jailer.  I  thought,  since  he  was 

215 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

better  known  in  this  country  than  myself,  your  rep 
utation  would  be  safer  in  his  hands  than  mine.  But  as 
soon  as  I  left,  I  began  to  think  it  over,  and  I  resolved 
to  follow  after  you,  not  as  a  jailer  but  as  a  friend. 
I  met  a  little  party  of  northern  men,  going  out  to  the 
Kansas  country;  and  I  knew  Lieutenant  Kammerer, 
here,  at  St.  Louis.  We  all  thought  alike.  That  girl 
yonder  pleaded  so  hard  that  we  took  her  on  with  us, 
at  Cairo.  She  was  bound  to  get  away.  When  we 
tied  up  for  the  night,  above  St.  Genevieve,  we  were 
attacked  by  these  Missourians  here.  I  had  intended 
to  leave  the  boat,  for  now  I  knew  where  you  were. 
Lily  told  me  you  were  taken  —  handled  rudely  —  like 
a  slave  —  that  you  —  Well  then,  I  knew  it  was  Dun- 
vvody. 

"  Of  course,  I  was  going  to  kill  him.  In  the  night 
none  of  us  knew  who  made  up  the  party  that  fired 
on  us.  There  were  half  a  dozen  men  killed,  more 
than  that  many  wounded,  and  we  are  prisoners  here, 
as  you  see.  I  suppose  that's  about  all.  But  then, 
good  God!  Madam,  why  break  up  our  attempt  to 
escape?  Aren't  you  with  us?  And  how  did  you  get 
hurt?" 

She  told  him,  simply,  there  had  been  accident. 

"  Are  you  of  the  revolutionists,  Madam  ? "  de 
manded  the  big  German  suddenly. 

"Yes!"  she  wheeled  upon  him.  "I  am  from 
Europe.  I  am  for  liberty." 

"  Come,  then,"  said  Kammerer,  quietly  reaching 
out  and  taking  away  the  revolver  from  her  hand. 

216 


"  We're  friends.     How  came  you  to  be  in  this  country, 
here?" 

She  smiled  at  him  bitterly.  "  Because  of  my  zeal. 
There  were  powers  who  wanted  me  out  of  Washing 
ton.  Ask  Captain  Carlisle  as  to  that.  But  this  man 
I  met  later  on  the  boat,  as  you  know.  He  —  brought 
me  here  —  as  you  have  heard !  " 

"  It  iss  outrage !  "  broke  in  Kammerer.  "  It  iss 
crime !  " 

"  We'll  call  him  to  account,"  interrupted  Carlisle. 
"Why  did  you  stop  us?  We'd  have  killed  him  the 
next  minute.  I'll  kill  him  yet." 

"  I  was  afraid  you  would  kill  him,"  she  said  simply. 

"Well,  why  not?  What  has  he  done  to  us, —  our 
men, —  to  you  ?  " 

"  I  could  not  see  it  done." 

"  You'll  see  worse  done.  We'll  do  it  yet.  You 
must  not  stand  in  our  way."  His  hand  closed  over 
his  own  revolver  butt,  and  he  made  a  half  motion  for 
ward. 

"  No !  "  she  said,  and  stepped  before  him. 

Carlisle  would  have  put  her  aside.  "  What  do  you 
mean  ?  They'll  be  out  here  in  a  minute, —  we'll  have 
to  fight  if  they  catch  us  here.  Do  you  want  to  see 
its  killed?  Quick!  Out  of  the  way!"  His  voice, 
raucous  in  anger,  rasped  at  her  ears,  low  as  it  was 
pitched.  * 

"  No,"  she  still  replied.  "  Let  me  do  the  think 
ing.  Keep  quiet !  I'll  get  you  out.  There's  been 
blood  enough  shed  now." 

217 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  You  are  magnificent,  Madam ! "  said  Carlisle. 
"  But  you  are  visionary.  Get  out  of  our  way.  I 
claim  him.  Leave  him  to  me." 

"  No,  I  claim  him  myself.     Leave  him  to  me !  " 

"  In  God's  name,  what  next! "  exclaimed  the  young 
Northerner  bitterly.  "  Are  we  all  mad  ?  Haven't 
you  had  trouble  enough  already  with  this  man? 
You  don't  make  yourself  clear.  What  do  you  want 
of  him?" 

"  I'm  entirely  clear  about  it  myself.  I  can't  get 
away  from  here  now,  but  I'm  safe  here  now.  For  all 
of  you  to  stay  would  mean  trouble,  certainly.  If 
those  men  knew  you  were  planning  escape  there  would 
be  more  men  killed.  But  you  don't  belong  here. 
Very  well.  I'm  obliged  to  stay  for  a  time.  So,  I'm 
just  going  to  take  the  position  of  commander.  I'm 
just  going  to  parole  you  two.  You're  free  to  go  if 
you  like !  " 

Carlisle  turned  toward  the  big  German,  Kammerer, 
and  broke  into  a  laugh.  "  Did  you  ever  see  anything 
like  this?"  he  demanded.  But  the  assent  of  the 
other  shone  in  his  eyes. 

"  The  lady  hass  right,"  he  said.  "  What  she  said 
iss  wise,  if  it  can  be  done." 

"But,  Madam,  what  will  become  of  you?"  said 
Carlisle  at  last.  Her  answer  was  instant.  She 
turned  back  to  the  door. 

"  Judge  Clayton !  "  she  called  out,  loud  and  clear. 
"  Mr.  Yates !  All  of  you,  come  here !  " 

218 


ON  PAROLE 

The  inner  doors  opened,  and  they  ran  out  at  her 
call.  Some  of  them  had  been  asleep,  leaning  back  in 
their  chairs  against  the  wall.  The  confusion  of 
their  approach  now  aroused  all  the  house.  There  ap 
peared  also  the  tall  form  of  Dunwody  himself,  lean 
ing  on  a  rifle  barrel  for  a  crutch.  All  these  paused  in 
the  hall  or  on  the  gallery,  close  to  the  great  door. 
Dunwody' s  frown  was  unmistakable  enough,  when 
he  saw  the  three  grouped  outside,  the  two  prisoners 
armed. 

"  There's  been  plotting  here !  "  he  cried.  "  What's 
up?  Get  your  arms,  men  !  Cover  them,  quick !  " 

"Wait!"  said  Carlisle  quietly.  "We're  armed, 
and  we've  got  you  covered."  His  weapon  and  that 
of  Kammerer  shone  gray  in  the  half  light.  Dun 
wody  threw  himself  against  the  doorpost  with  a  growl 
of  anger. 

"  You've  been  plotting  against  us ! "  he  said  to 
Josephine  grimly.  "  Well !  " 

"  You  are  unjust,  as  usual,  Sir,"  said  Carlisle 
hotly.  "  On  the  contrary,  she  just  kept  us  from  kill 
ing  you  —  which  by  all  the  rights  of  God  and  man 
we  ought  to  have  done, —  and  will  do,  some  day." 

"  What  do  you  mean?  "  demanded  Dunwody  dully. 
"  You  —  she  saved  - 

"  It  iss  the  truth,"  assented  Kammerer,  in  his  turn. 
"  It  wass  the  lady  who  hass  saved  you.  She  hass 
spoken  for  peace  and  not  for  bloodshed.  You  owe 
to  her  your  life." 

219 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  My  life  !  "  he  said,  turning  toward  her.     "  You  — " 

"  I've  assumed  command  here,"  interrupted  Jose 
phine  calmly.  "  I've  paroled  these  gentlemen." 

"  Indeed !  "  said  Dunwody  sarcastically.  "  That's 
very  nice,  for  them !  " 

She  went  on  unperturbed.  "  I'm  going  to  set  them 
free.  Judge  Clayton  and  Mr.  Jones  and  you  others, 
too,  must  go  on  home.  You  will  have  to  surrender  to 
the  courts.  These  men  are  going  to  leave  the  state. 
All  of  you  must  disperse  —  at  once." 

"And  you  yourself, —  '  began  Dunwody  grimly; 
"  what  do  you  plan  ?  " 

"  I  remain.  I  am  a  hostage.  It  will  now  be 
known  where  I  am.  You  will  be  responsible  for  me, 
now.  I  fancy  that  will  suit  Washington  as  well  as  to 
detain  Captain  Carlisle  as  my  jailer  any  longer.  If 
I  thought  I  needed  him,  I  would  not  let  him  go.  We 
are  all  of  us  going  to  be  under  parole,  don't  you  see  ?  " 

"  Is  it  your  wish  that  we  should  give  parole  in 
these  circumstances,  Dunwody?"  Judge  Clayton 
himself  smiled  rather  sardonically. 

"  I  don't  see  why  not,  after  all,"  said  Dunwody,  at 
length,  slowly.  "  I  don't  see  why  that  isn't  about  as 
wise  as  anything  we  can  do.  The  law  will  do  the 
rest  of  this  work,  and  we  must  all  be  ready  for  it,  as 
she  says.  Only  one  thing,  gentlemen,  before  we 
part.  As  to  this  young  lady  here,  I'll  kill  the  first 
man,  friend  or  foe,  who  raises  a  breath  against  her. 
Do  I  make  myself  plain?  Put  down  your  guns,  then. 
I  won't  turn  any  man  away,  not  even  an  enemy. 

220 


CLATTKRING    HOOFS    RESOUNDED    ALONG    THE    ROAD 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Have  you  eaten,  gentlemen?     Are  you  rested  enough 
to  go  to-night  ?  " 

An    hour    later    clattering    hoofs    once    more    re 
sounded  along  the  Tallwoods  road. 


222 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE   ENEMY 

LEANING  against  the  pillar  of  the  gallery, 
Dumvody  watched  them  all,  old  friends,  late 
foes,  depart.  Josephine  St.  Auban  stood  not  far 
away.  He  turned  to  her,  and  her  gaze  fell  upon  his 
face,  now  haggard  and  gaunt.  He  had  ridden  sixty 
miles  since  the  previous,  sun,  half  the  distance 
wounded  as  he  was ;  had  been  without  sleep  for  thirty- 
six  hours,  without  food  for  almost  as  long,  and  now 
was  suffering  with  an  aggravated  wound. 

"  You  are  ill,"  she  said  to  him  impulsively. 
"  You're  badly  hurt." 

"Aren't  you  glad  to  see  me  suffer?"  he  asked 
grimly. 

"  I  am  not  glad  to  see  any  one  suffer." 

"  Well,  never  mind  about  me.  But  now,  you,  your 
self.  Didn't  I  tell  you  to  go  to  your  room  and  rest?  " 

She  was  pale,  the  corners  of  her  mouth  were  drawn, 
her  eyes  were  duller.  Neither  had  she  slept.  She 
also  suffered,  even  now.  Yet  her  courage  matched  his 
own.  She  smiled. 

"  It  makes  me  crawl,  all  the  way  through,  to  see 
a  woman  hurt  that  way.  Why  did  you  try  to  climb 

223 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

out  of  that  window?  You  weren't  walking  in  your 
sleep." 

"  I  was  trying  to  get  away  from  you.  I  thought 
you  were  coming.  I  thought  I  heard  you  —  at  the 
door."  She  looked  him  full  in  the  face,  searching  it 
for  sign  of  guilt,  of  confusion.  "  Was  it  not  enough  ?  " 
she  added. 

The  frown  on  his  face  only  deepened.  "  That  was 
not  true,"  said  he.  "  I  never  came  to  your  door.  It 
was  Sally  you  heard.  I'll  confess  —  I  sent  her,  to 
get  away  those  —  those  clothes  you  saw.  I  didn't 
want  —  you  to  see  them." 

"  I  believe  you !  "  she  said,  low,  as  if  she  spoke  to 
herself.  "  Yes,  I  understand  now." 

"  Why  don't  you  say  I'm  lying  to  you?" 

"  Because  you  are  not  lying.  Because  you  tell  me 
the  truth,  and  I  know  it.  I  was  mistaken." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  Why  forgive  me  ?  I  don't 
want  you  to  forgive  me.  You  don't  understand  the 
madness  — " 

"  What  hope  could  there  be  in  a  particular  madness 
such  as  that?"  He  could  see  her  eyes  turned  on 
him  steadily.  He  turned  away,  sighing. 

"  I  am  degraded  for  ever." 

"Tell  me,"  she  flashed  out  upon  him  suddenly; 
"what  did  you  think  then  of  me,  there  on  the  boat? 
How  did  you  dare  - 

"  I  don't  think  I  had  any  conclusion  —  I  only 
wanted  you.  I  just  couldn't  think  of  your  going 
away,  that  was  all.  I'd  never  seen  a  woman  like  you, 

224 


"  I'LL    NEVER    IN    ALL    MY    LIFE    CEASE    TO    WANT    YOU  " 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

I'll  never  hope  to  see  another  your  equal  in  all  my  life. 
And  you  sent  for  me,  told  me  to  come,  said  you  needed 
help.  I  didn't  know  what  you  were.  But  I  didn't 
care  what  you  were,  either.  I  don't  care  now.  Your 
past  might  be,  what  you  liked,  you  might  be  what  you 
are  not,  and  it  would  make  no  difference  to  me.  I 
wanted  you.  I'll  never  in  all  my  life  cease  to  want 
you.  Who  you  are  or  what  you  are  is  nothing  to 
me. 

"  But  what  is  the  right  thing  to  do  now  ?  "  he  re 
sumed,  after  a  time.  "  Parole  ?  Hostage  ?  I  don't 
need  to  tell  you  I'm  the  prisoner  now.  My  future, 
my  character,  are  absolutely  in  your  hands.  The 
fact  that  I  have  insulted  a  woman  can  be  proved.  It 
is  with  you,  what  revenge  you  will  take.  As  a  lawyer, 
I  point  out  to  you  that  the  courts  are  open.  You 
easily  can  obtain  redress  there  against  Warville  Dun- 
wody.  And  your  relatives  or  friends  will  of  course 
hold  me  accountable." 

"  Then  you  fear  me?  " 

"  No.  What  comes,  comes.  I  am  afraid  of  no  one 
in  the  world  but  my  own  self.  I  fear  only  the  dread 
of  facing  life  —  of  looking  about  me  here,  in  my  own 
home,  and  not  seeing,  not  hearing  you. 

"  But  you  haven't  told  me  what  you  wish,"  he 
added ;  raising  his  eyes  at  last ;  "  nor  what  you  in 
tend  to  do.  Tell  me,  when  will  your  lawyers  call  on 
me?" 

"  Never  at  all,"  she  answered  at  last. 
226 


THE  ENEMY 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  he  demanded.  "  To  .set  me 
quit  so  easily?  Oh,  no." 

"  Never  fear.  You  shall  pay  me  ransom,  and 
heavily." 

"Ransom?  Parole?  Hostages?  How  do  you 
mean  ?  " 

"  What  ransom  you  pay  me  must  be  out  of  your 
self,  out  of  your  own  character.  I  shall  exact  it  a 
hundredfold,  in  shame,  in  regret,  of  you.  Do  you 
hold  any  of  that  ready  to  pay  your  debtor  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head.  "  No,  I'll  never  regret.  But 
you  don't  know  me,  do  you  ?  My  fortune  is  ade 
quate." 

"  So  is  mine,"  she  rejoined.  "  I  could  perhaps 
buy  some  of  your  property,  if  it  were  for  sale.  But 
I  want  more  than  money  of  you." 

"  Who  are  you?  "  demanded  he  suddenly,  reverting 
to  the  old  puzzle  regarding  her. 

A  sadness  came  upon  her  averted  face.  "  Only  a  bit 
of  flotsam  on  the  human  wave.  How  small  we  all 
are,  any  of  us !  And  there's  so  much  to  be  done !  " 

Half  stumbling,  he  shifted  his  position,  leaning  his 
weight  against  the  tall  pillar  of  the  gallery.  He 
could  see  her  plainly.  In  the  light  from  the  hall  half 
her  features  were  now  thrown  into  Rembrandt  light 
ing.  The  roll  of  dark  hair  framed  her  face,  highbred, 
aristocratic,  yet  wholly  human  and  sweet.  Gravity 
sat  on  all  her  features;  a  woman  for  thought,  said 
they.  A  woman  for  dreams;  so  declared  the  fineness 

227 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

of  brow  and  temple  and  cheek  and  chin,  the  hand 
which,  lifted  now  for  an  instant,  lingered  at  her 
throat.  But  a  woman  for  love !  so  said  every  throb 
of  the  pulse  of  the  man  regarding  her.  And  now, 
most  of  all,  pity  of  her  just  because  she  was  woman 
was  the  thought  first  in  his  soul.  Already  he  was 
beginning  to  pay,  and  as  she  had  said! 

"  You  don't  answer  me,"  said  he,  at  length,  gently. 
"  I  can  imagine  your  ambitions ;  but  I  don't  learn 
enough  of  you." 

"  No,"  said  she,  with  a  deep  breath.  "  As  you  said, 
we  part,  each  with  secrets  untold.  To  you,  I  am  of 
no  consequence.  Very  well.  I  was  born,  no  matter 
where,  but  free  and  equal  to  yourself,  I  fancy.  I 
came  here  in  the  pursuit  of  life  and  liberty,  and  of 
the  days  of  my  remaining  unhappiness.  I  suppose 
this  must  be  your  answer." 

"  You  speak,  at  least,  as  though  you  had  studied 
life  —  and  history." 

"  I  have  lived.  And  I  have  seen  some  history 
made  —  for  a  cause,  Sir,  a  great  cause.  Men  will 
fight  for  that  again,  here,  on  this  soil,  not  under  man- 
made  laws,  but  under  a  higher  and  greater  law.  You 
love  my  body.  You  do  not  love  my  mind.  I  love 
them,  both.  Yes,  I  am  student  of  the  law.  Human 
ity!  Is  it  not  larger  than  we?  Is  this  narrow,  self 
ish  life  of  yours  all  you  can  see  —  of  life  —  of  this 
law?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Dunwody,  grinning  painfully.  "  I 
228 


THE  ENEMY 

reckon  maybe  it  was  one  of  those  '  higher  law ' 
abolitionists  that  shot  me !  " 

"  Shot?  What  do  you  mean?  "  Forgetting  philos 
ophy,  she  turned  swiftly.  Yet  even  as  she  spoke 
she  now  for  the  first  time  caught  sight  of  the  dark 
rimmed  rent  in  his  trousers  leg,  noted  the  uneasy 
fashion  in  which  he  held  his  weight. 

"  No  one  told  me  you  were  hurt  —  I  thought  you 
only  tired,  or  perhaps  bruised  by  some  accident  —  when 
you  fell,  in  there." 

"No;  shot,"  he  replied.  "Shot  right  in  here, 
through  the  edge  of  the  bone.  When  I  tripped  and 
fell,  there  in  the  hall,  I  broke  the  bone  short  off  —  it 
was  only  nicked  at  first." 

"  And  you  have  been  standing  here,  talking  to  me, 
with  that?  ''  She  stepped  to  him  swiftly  and  placed 
a  hand  under  his  arm.  "  You  must  go  in.  Come. 
Can  you  walk  ?  " 

Through  his  nerves,  racked  as  they  were,  there 
swept  a  flood  of  joy,  more  sweet  than  that  of  any 
drug.  He  could  see  the  blown  hair  about  her  ears, 
see  the  round  of  her  neck,  the  curve  of  her  body  as 
she  bent  to  aid  him,  putting  her  free  arm  under  his, 
forgetful  of  everything  in  her  woman's  wish  to  allay 
suffering,  to  brood,  to  protect,  to  increase  life.  ^  They 
passed  through  the  door  toward  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 
Here  she  turned  to  him. 

'The  pain  is  very  great?"  she  inquired. 

"  The  pain  at  thinking  of  your  going  away  is  very 
229 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

great,"  he  answered.  One  hand  on  the  newel  post, 
he  bent  down,  his  head  on  his  arm  for  an  instant. 
"  Oh,  you're  making  me  pay!"  he  groaned.  But  the 
next  moment  he  turned  on  her  defiantly.  "  I'll  not 
learn!  If  this  was  the  only  way  for  me  to  meet  you, 
then  I'll  not  regret  a  single  thing  I've  done.  I'll  not ! 
I'll  not!  I'll  not  pay!  It  all  conies  back  to  me,  just 
what  I  said  before.  What  couldn't  we  do,  together? 
—  I  need  you  —  I  need  you !  " 

"  You  must  go  to  your  room.  You've  been  stand 
ing  for  an  hour." 

"  But  I've  been  with  you.  I  can't  hope  for  an 
other  hour  like  this.  You'll  be  leaving  me.  But  I'd 
live  the  hour  over  again  —  in  hell  with  you !  " 

"  I  told  you,  when  we  all  gave  parole,  that  I  would 
exact  my  price  of  you,  in  regret,  in  remorse." 

"  You  shall  not  have  it  in  regret,  I'll  not  regret. 
But  I'm  paying!  See,  I'm  telling  you  you  may  go, 
that  you  must  go  —  away  from  me." 


230 


CHAPTER  XX 

THE    ART     OF    DOCTOR    JAMIESON 

ELEAZAR  proved  a  faithful  messenger  once 
more.  Before  the  evening  shadows  had 
greatly  lengthened,  three  figures  appeared  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  approach  to  Tallwoods  mansion 
house.  Jeanne,  as  usual  looking  out  from  their  win 
dow,  saw  these. 

"  It  is  the  old  man,  Madame,"  she  commented. 
"  And  yes,  Monsieur  le  Docteur  at  last  —  thank  the 
Bon  Dieu!  But  one  other  —  who  is  that  ?  " 

It  was  a  very  worn  and  weary  doctor  who  pres 
ently  swung  out  of  his  saddle  at  the  gallery  step. 
His  clothing  was  stained  with  mud,  his  very  shoulders 
drooping  with  fatigue.  In  the  past  few  days  he 
scarcely  had  slept,  but  had  been  here  and  there  at 
tending  to  the  wants  of  surviving  sufferers  of  the 
boat  encounter.  None  the  less  he  smiled  as  he  held 
out  his  hand  to  Josephine. 

"  How  is  my  patient  ?  "  he  inquired.  "  Plumb 
well,  of  course.  And  how  about  this  new  one  —  I 
thought  I  fixed  him  up  before  he  came  home.  I've 
been  grunting  at  Eleazar  all  the  way,  telling  him 

231 


"IT    IS    THE    OLD    MAN,"    COMMENTED    JEANNE 


THE  ART  OF  DOCTOR  JAMIESON 

it's  all  foolishness,  my  coming  away  out  here  —  he 
could  have  fixed  Dumvody's  leg  up,  somehow.  I  sup 
pose  you  know  the  old  man's  son,  Hector.  He  came 
along  for  good  measure,  I  reckon." 

The  young  man  referred  to  now  advanced,  made  a 
leg  and  pulled  a  black  forelock.  He  was  a  strapping 
youth,  attired  in  the  latest  fashion  of  French  St. 
Genevieve.  He  bowed  to  this  lady;  but  at  the  same 
time,  the  glance  he  cast  at  her  French  waiting-maid 
was  evidence  enough  of  the  actuating  cause  of  his 
journey.  He  had  heard  somewhat  of  these  strangers 
at  Tallwoods  house. 

"  I'll  been  forget  to  tell  the  doctcur  h'all  about  Mr. 
Dunwodee,"  began  Eleazar. 

"\Yhat  business  have  you  to  forget!"  demanded 
Jamieson  sternly.  "Has  anything  gone  wrong?" 

"  Mon  perc,"  began  Hector,  "  I'll  tol'  him,  if  he 
didn't  tell  the  doctcur  about  how  Monsieur  Dunwodee 
he'll  broke  it  his  leg  some  more  — 

"  What's  that  ?  "      The  doctor  whirled  upon  him. 

"  It's  quite  true,"  said  Josephine.  "  He  had  a  fall, 
here  in  the  house.  He  thinks  he  has  broken  the  in 
jured  bone.  I  didn't  know  for  a  long  time  that  he 
had  been  shot.  He  stood  out  here  last  night  talk 
ing  to  me." 

"Stood  out  here  —  talking  to  you  —  with  his  leg 
broken  through  —  the  front  bone  ?  Couldn't  you 
have  any  mercy?  You  didn't  have  to  use  that  broken 
wrist,  but  he  —  standing  around  - 

"  He  did  not  tell  me,  until  the  last  moment.     He 

233 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

said  he  thought  he  had  a  little  fever  and  believed  he 
would  take  a  little  quinine." 

"  Oh,  quinine  —  a  Missourian  would  take  that  to 
save  his  immortal  soul  —  and  quite  as  well  as  to  take 
it  for  a  broken  bone  like  that.  I  did  the  best  I  could 
with  it  —  out  there  in  the  dark,  but  it  wasn't  half 
dressed.  Come—  He  motioned  Josephine  to  fol 
low  him  to  Dunwody's  room. 

Eleazar  had  slunk  away  about  the  house,  but  Hec 
tor,  left  alone  with  Jeanne,  improved  the  shining  hour. 
In  a  few  moments  he  had  informed  her  that  he  was 
most  happy  to  see  one  so  beautiful,  one,  moreover,  who 
spoke  his  own  tongue  —  although  perhaps,  it  was 
true,  not  quite  as  that  tongue  was  spoken  in  Canada. 
As  for  himself,  he  was  a  cooper,  and  had  a  most  ex 
cellent  business,  yonder  at  St.  Genevieve.  But  the 
society  of  St.  Genevieve  —  ah,  well !  And  so  on, 
very  swimmingly. 

In  the  sick  chamber  Jamieson  advanced  with  one 
glance  at  Dunwody's  fevered  face.  "  What's  up, 
Dunwody?"  said  he.  "What  has  gone  wrong? 
Easy  now,  never  mind." 

He  shook  his  head  over  the  results  of  his  first 
scrutiny.  He  turned  to  Josephine,  "  Have  you  ever 
seen  anybody  hurt?  " 

"  I've  been  on  two  battlefields,"  said  she.  "  I've 
nursed  a  little." 

Dunwody  turned  to  her  a  face  whose  eyes  now  were 
glazed  with  suffering.  He  nodded  to  Jamieson  with 
out  any  word. 

234 


THE  ART  OF  DOCTOR  JAMIESON 

"Sally,  get  some  hot  water,  quick!"  called  out 
Jamieson  in  the  hall.  "  So,  now,  old  man,  let's  see." 

He  stripped  the  covering  quite  down  and  bared  the 
lower  limb,  removing  the  bandage  which  he  had 
originally  applied.  For  a  moment  he  looked  at  the 
angry  wound.  Then  he  pulled  back  the  covering,  and 
turned  away. 

"Well,  well,  what  is  it?"  croaked  Dunwody 
hoarsely,  half-rising  on  his  crumpled  pillow.  Jamie- 
son  did  not  reply.  "  I  fell,  out  there  in  the  hall. 
Weight  must  have  come  on  the  bad  place  in  the  leg. 
I  think  the  bone  snapped." 

"  I  think  so  too!  That  mightn't  have  been  so  bad 
-but  then  you  stood  a  while  on  that  bad  leg,  eh? 
Now  look  here,  Dunwody;  do  you  know  what  shape 
you  are  in  now  ?  " 

"  No,  I  only  know  it  hurts." 

"If  that  leg  \vere  mine,  do  you  know  what  I'd 
do  with  it?  " 

"  No ;  but  it  isn't  yours." 

"  Well,  I'd  have  it  off  —  as  quick  as  it  could  come, 
that's  all.  If  you  don't,  you'll  lose  your  life." 

"You  don't  mean  that?"  whispered  Dunwody 
tensely,  after  a  time.  "  You  don't  mean  that,  Doc 
tor?" 

"  I  mean  every  word  I  say.     It's  blood  poisoning." 

The  only  answer  his  patient  made  was  to  reach  a 
slow  hand  under  his  pillow  and  draw  out  a  long- 
barreled  revolver,  which  he  laid  upon  the  bed  be 
side  him. 

235 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  I  didn't  think  you  such  a  coward,"  ruminated 
Jamieson,  rubbing  his  chin. 

"  If  you  think  I'm  afraid  of  the  hurt  of  it,  I'll 
let  you  do  your  work  first,  and  I'll  do  mine  after 
ward,"  gasped  Dtmwody  slowly.  "  But  I'm  not  going 
to  live  a  cripple.  I'll  not  be  maimed." 

They  looked  each  other  firmly  in  the  face. 

"Is  it  so  bad  as  all  that,  Doctor?"  demanded 
Josephine.  Her  answer  was  a  sad  look  from  the  gray 
old  eyes.  "  Blood  poison.  Some  kind  of  an  aggra 
vation.  It's  traveling  fast." 

Josephine  gazed  down  at  the  bulky  figure  lying 
there  prone,  so  lately  full  of  rugged  ferocity,  now  so 
weak  and  helpless.  Her  eye  fell  on  the  weapon  lying 
on  the  bed.  She  gently  removed  it. 

"  That  was  what  he  preferred  to  my  skill,"  com 
mented  Jamieson. 

Dunwody  turned  his  gaze  on  Josephine  now. 
"  You  don't  belong  here,  now,"  said  he  at  length. 
"  You'd  better  go  away." 

"  This  is  just  where  she  docs  belong!  "  contradicted 
Jamieson.  "  If  she  has  courage  to  stay  here,  I  want 
her.  I've  got  to  have  help.  She'll  do  her  duty,  and 
with  one  hand  tied !  Can't  you  do  as  much  ? 
Haven't  you  any  idea  of  duty  in  the  world  ?  " 

"  Duty !  "   Dunwody's   lips   met   in    a   bitter   smile. 

"  Listen  here,  Mr.  Dunwody,"  began  Josephine, 
"  I've  seen  worse  wounds  than  that,  seen  weaker  men 
survive  worse  than  that.  There's  a  chance  per- 

236 


THE  ART  OF  DOCTOR  JAMIESON 

haps  —  why  don't  you  lake  it  like  a  man  ?  I  exact 
it  of  you.  I  demand  it !  Your  duty  to  me  is  un 
paid.  Come.  We  must  live,  all  of  us,  till  all  our  debts 
are  paid." 

He  made  no  answer  at  first  save  to  look  her  straight 
in  the  face  for  a  moment.  "  Maybe  there  is  such  a 
thing  as  duty,"  said  he.  "  Maybe  I  do  owe  it  —  to 
you.  I've  —  not  yet  —  paid  enough.  Very  well, 
then." 

"  Come,"  cried  out  Jamieson  suddenly,  "  out  you 
go  on  the  table.  Get  a  hand  under  there,  girl." 

There  was  no  word  further  spoken.  Gently  they 
aided  the  injured  man  to  his  feet  and  helped  him 
hobble  through  the  hall  and  into  the  great  dining-room 
beyond,  where  stood  the  long  table  of  polished 
mahogany.  Dunwody,  swaying,  leaned  against  it, 
while  Jamieson  hurried  to  the  window  and  threw  up 
the  curtains  to  admit  as  much  as  possible  of  the  light 
of  late  afternoon.  Returning,  he  motioned  Dunwody 
to  remove  his  coat,  which  he  folded  up  for  a  pillow. 
The  remainder  of  his  preparations  necessarily  were 
scant.  Hot  water,  clean  instruments  —  that  was 
almost  all.  An  anaesthetic  was  of  course  out  of  the 
question. 

"  Dunwody,  we're  going  to  hurt  you  a  little,"  said 
Jamieson,  at  last.  "  You've  got  to  stand  it,  that's  all. 
Lie  "down  there  on  the  table  and  get  ready." 

He  himself  turned  his  back  and  was  busy  near  by 
at  a  smaller  table,  arranging  his  instruments.  What 

237 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

then  represented  surgical  care  would  to-day  be  called 
criminal  carelessness.  Next  he  went  out  to  the  front 
door  and  called  aloud  for  Eleazar. 

"  Come  here,  man,"  commanded  Jamieson,  after 
he  had  the  old  trapper  in  the  room.  "  Take  hold  of 
this  good  leg  and  hold  it  still.  Madam,  I  want  you 
at  the  foot  on  the  other  side.  You  may  get  hold  of 
the  edge  of  the  table  with  your  hands,  Dunwody,  and 
hold  still,  if  you  can.  I  won't  be  very  long." 

Swiftly  the  doctor  cut  away  the  garments  from  the 
wounded  limb,  which  lay  now  exposed  in  all  the  hor 
rors  of  its  inflammation.  .  .  .  The  next  instant 
there  was  a  tense  tightening  of  the  muscles  of  the 
man  on  the  table.  There  was  a  sigh  of  deep,  intaken 
breath,  followed,  however,  by  no  more  than  a  faint 
moan  as  the  knife  went  at  its  work. 

"  I'm  not  going  to  do  it !  "  came  back  from  under 
the  surgeon's  arm.  "  There's  half  a  chance  —  I'm 
going  to  try  to  save  it !  Hold  on,  old  man, —  here's 
the  thing  to  do  —  we're  going  to  try  - 

He  went  down  now  into  the  quivering  tissues  and 
laid  bare  the  edge  of  the  broken  bone,  deep  to  the 
inner  lines.  Thus  the  front  of  the  shattered  bone 
lay  exposed.  The  doctor  sighed,  as  he  pushed  at  this 
with  a  steady  finger,  his  eyes  frowning,  absorbed. 
The  bullet  wound  in  the  anterior  edge  was  not  clean 
cut.  Near  it  was  a  long,  heavy  splinter  of  bone,  the 
cause  of  the  inflammation  —  something  not  suspected 
in  the  hurried  dressing  of  the  wound  in  the  half  dark 
ness  at  the  river  edge.  This  bone  end,  but  loosely 

238 


THE  ART  OF  DOCTOR  JAMIESON 

attached,  was  broken  free,  thrust  down  into  the  angry 
and  irritated  flesh. 

For  an  instant  Jamieson  studied  the  injury.  The 
silence  of  death  was  in  the  room.  The  tense  muscles 
of  the  patient  might  have  been  those  of  a  lifeless  man. 
Only  the  horrid  sound  of  the  dripping  blood,  falling 
from  the  table  upon  the  carpet,  broke  the  silence. 

"  I  had  a  coon  dog  once,"  began  Doctor  Jamieson 
cheerfully  — "  I  don't  know  whether  you  remember 
him  or  not,  Dunwody.  Sort  of  a  yellow  dog,  with 
long  ears  and  white  eye.  Just  wait  a  minute."  He 
hastened  over  to  the  side  of  the  table  and  bent  again 
over  his  case  of  instruments. 

"  There's  been  all  kinds  of  coon  dogs  in  these  bot 
toms  and  hills,  I  suppose,  ever  since  white  folks  came 
here,  but  Dunwody,  I'm  telling  you  the  truth,  that 
dog  of  mine  — " 

By  this  time  he  had  fished  out  from  his  case  a 
slender  probe,  which  he  bent  back  and  forth  as  he 
once  more  appoached  the  table. 

"  There's  wasn't  anything  he  wouldn't  run,  from 
deer  to  catamount ;  and,  one  day,  when  we  were  out 
back  here  in  the  hills  —  I  don't  know  but  Eleazar 
here  might  remember  something  about  that  himself. 
.  .  .  Hold  on,  now,  old  man!" 

The  old  doctor's  forehead  for  the  first  time  was 
beaded.  He  wanted  silver  wire.  He  would  have  ac 
cepted  catgut.  He  had  neither.  For  one  moment,  in 
agony  himself,  he  looked  about;  then  a  look  of  joy 
came  to  his  face.  An  old  fiddle  was  lying  in  the  win- 

239 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

dow.  A  moment,  and  he  had  ripped  off  a  string. 
In  two  strides  he  was  back  at  the  dripping  table,  where 
lay  one  marble  •figure,  stood  a  second  figure  also  of 
marble. 

"  We  were  just  trailing  along,  not  paying  much 
attention  to  anything,  when  all  at  once  that 
dog.  .  .  ." 

Doctor  Jamieson's  story  of  his  famous  coon  dog 
was  never  entirely  completed.  His  voice  droned  away 
and  ceased  now,  as  he  bent  once  more  over  his  work. 

What  he  did,  so  far  as  he  in  his  taciturn  way  ever 
would  admit,  was  in  some  way  to  poke  the  catgut 
violin  string  under  the  bone,  with  the  end  of  the  probe, 
and  so  to  pass  a  ligature  around  the  broken  bone  itself. 
After  that,  it  was  easier  to  fasten  the  splinter  back 
in  place  where  it  belonged. 

Doctor  Jamieson  used  all  his  violin  string.  Then 
he  cleaned  the  wound  thoroughly,  and  with  a  frank 
brutality  drenched  it  with  turpentine,  as  he  would 
have  done  with  a  horse  or  a  dog;  for  this  burning 
liquid  was  the  only  thing  at  hand  to  aid  him.  His 
own  eyes  grew  moist  as  he  saw  the  twitching  of  the 
burned  tissues  under  this  infliction,  but  his  hand  was 
none  the  less  steady.  The  edge  of  the  great  table 
was  splintered  where  Dunwody's  hands  had  grasped 
it.  The  flesh  on  the  inside  of  his  fingers  was 
broken  loose  under  his  grip.  Blood  dripped  also  from 
his  hands. 

"  I'm  only  a  backwoods  doctor,  Dunwody,"  said 
Jamieson  at  length,  as  he  began  rebandaging  the 

240 


THE  ART  OF  DOCTOR  JAMIESON 

limb.  "  I  reckon  there's  a  heap  of  good  surgeons  up 
North  that  could  make  a  finer  job  of  this.  God 
knows,  I  wish  they'd  had  it,  and  not  me.  But  with 
what's  at  hand,  I've  done  the  best  I  could.  My  ex 
perience  is,  it's  pretty  hard  to  kill  a  man. 

"Wait  now  until  I  get  some  splints  —  hold  still, 
can't  you  !  If  we  have  to  cut  your  leg  off  after  a  while, 
I  can  do  a  better  job  than  this,  maybe.  But  now  we 
have  all  done  the  best  we  could.  Young  lady,  your 
arm  again,  if  you  please.  God  bless  you!  " 

The  face  of  Josephine  St.  Auban  was  wholly  color 
less  as  once  more  she  assisted  the  doctor  with  his 
patient.  They  got  him  upon  his  own  bed  at  last.  To 
Dunwody's  imagination,  although  he  could  never 
settle  it  clearly  in  his  mind,  it  seemed  that  a  hand  had 
pushed  the  hair  back  from  his  brow ;  that  some  one 
perhaps  had  arranged  a  pillow  for  him. 

Jamieson  left  the  room  and  dropped  into  a  chair 
in  the  hall,  his  face  between  his  hands.  "  Sally,"  he 
whispered  after  a  time,  "whisky  —  quick!"  And 
when  she  got  the  decanter  he  drank  half  a  tumblerful 
without  a  gasp. 

"Fiddle  string  in  his  leg!"  he  grinned  to  himself 
at  last.  "  Maybe  it  won't  make  him  dance,  but  I'll 
bet  a  thousand  dollars  he'd  never  have  danced  again 
without  it!" 

When  at  last  Josephine  found  her  own  room  she 
discovered  her  maid  Jeanne,  waiting  for  her,  fright  still 
in  her  face. 

"  Madame !  "  exclaimed  Jeanne,  "  it  is  terrible ! 
241 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

What  horrors  there  are  in  this  place.  What  has  been 
done  —  is  it  true  that  Monsieur  has  lost  both  his  legs? 
But  one,  perhaps?  For  the  man  with  one  leg,  it  is  to 
be  said  that  he  is  more  docile,  which  is  to  be  desired. 
But  both  legs  — " 

"  It  is  not  true,  Jeanne.  There  has  been  surgery, 
but  perhaps  Mr.  Dunwody  will  not  even  be  a  cripple. 
He  may  get  well  —  it  is  still  doubtful." 

"  How  then  was  it  possible,  Madame,  for  you  to 
endure  such  sights?  But  is  it  not  true,  how  the  Bon 
Dieu  punishes  the  wicked?  For  myself,  I  was  in 
terror  —  even  though  I  was  some  distance  away ; 
and  although  that  young  gentleman,  Monsieur  Hector, 
was  so  good  as  to  hold  my  hand." 


242 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE    PAYMENT 

DOCTOR  JAMIESON  did  not  at  once  return  to 
his  other  duties.  He  knew  that  in  this  case  care 
and  skill  would  for  a  time  continue  in  demand.  Lit 
tle  sleep  was  accorded  him  during  his  first  night. 
Ammonia  —  whisky  —  what  he  had,  he  used  to  keep 
his  patient  alive ;  but  morning  came,  and  Dunwody 
still  was  living.  Morphine  now  seemed  proper  to  the 
backwoods  physician;  after  this  had  done  its  work, 
so  that  his  patient  slept,  he  left  the  room  and  \vandered 
discontentedly  about  in  the  great  house,  too  tired  to 
wake,  too  strained  to  sleep. 

"  Old  —  old  —  it's  an  old,  tumble-down  ruin,  that's 
what  it  is,"  he  grumbled.  "  Everything  in  sixes  and 
sevens  —  a  man  like  that  —  and  an  ending  like  this 
to  it  all." 

He  had  called  several  times  before  he  could  get  any 
attendance  from  the  shiftless  blacks.  These,  quick 
to  catch  any  slackening  in  the  reins  of  the  governing 
power  which  controlled  their  lives,  dropped  back  into 
unreadiness  and  pretense  more  and  more  each  hour. 

"  What  it  needs  here  is  a  woman,"  grumbled  Jamie- 
son  to  himself.  "  All  the  time,  for  that  matter.  But 

243 


this  one's  got  to  stay  now,  I  don't  care  who  she  is. 
There  must  be  some  one  here  to  run  things  for  a  month 
or  two.  Besides,  she's  got  his  life  in  her  two  hands, 
some  way.  If  she  left  now,  might  as  well  shoot  him 
at  once.  Oh,  hell !  when  I  die,  I  want  to  go  to  a 
womanless  world.  No  I  don't,  either !  " 

His  decision  he  at  last  announced  to  Josephine 
herself  when  finally  the  latter  appeared  to  make  in 
quiry  regarding  the  sick  master  of  Tallwoods. 

"  My  dear  girl,"  said  he,  "I  am  a  blunt  man,  not 
a  very  good  doctor  maybe,  and  perhaps  not  much  of  a 
gentleman,  I  don't  know  —  never  stopped  to  ask  my 
self  about  it.  But  now,  anyhow,  I  don't  know  how 
you  happened  to  be  here,  or  who  you  are,  or  when  you 
are  going  away,  and  I'm  not  going  to  ask  you  about 
any  of  those  things.  What  I  want  to  say  is  this : 
Mr.  Dunwody  is  going  to  be  a  very  sick  man.  He 
hasn't  got  any  sort  of  proper  care  here,  there's  no 
one  to  run  this  place,  and  I  can't  stay  here  all  the 
time  myself.  Even  if  I  did  stay,  all  I  could  do  would 
be  to  give  him  a  dose  of  quinine  or  calomel  once  in 
a  while,  and  that  isn't  what  he  needs.  He  needs  some 
one  to  be  around  and  watch  after  things  — •  this  whole 
place  is  sick,  as  much  as  the  owner  of  it.  I  reckon 
you've  got  to  help  me,  my  dear." 

She  looked  at  him,  her  large,  dark  eyes  slightly 
contracting,  making  neither  protest  nor  assent.  He 
drew  a  long  breath  of  satisfaction. 

"  Of  course  you'll  stay,"  he  said ;  "  it's  the  right 
thing  to  do,  and  we  both  know  it.  You  don't  want 

244 


"DOCTORS  AND  WOMEN  —  THEY  SOMETIMES  ARE  FATAL' 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

to  kill  a  man,  no  matter  how  much  he  desires  or  de 
serves  it.  Doctors  and  women  —  they  sometimes  are 
fatal,  but  they  don't  consciously  mean  to  be,  now  do 
they  ?  We  don't  ask  many  questions  out  here  in  these 
hills,  and  I  will  never  bother  you.  I  feel  entirely  free 
to  ask  you  to  remain  at  least  for  a  few  days  —  or 
maybe  weeks." 

Her  eyes  still  were  on  his  face.  It  was  a  face  fit  for 
trust.  "  Very  well,"  said  she  at  length,  quietly.  "  If 
you  think  it  is  necessary." 

It  was  thus  that  Josephine  St.  Auban  became  the 
head  of  Tallwoods  household.  Not  that  week  did 
she  leave,  nor  the  next,  nor  the  one  thereafter.  The 
winter  advanced,  it  was  about  to  wane,  and  still  she 
remained.  Slowly,  the  master  advanced  toward  re 
covery.  Meantime,  under  charge  of  the  mistress,  the 
household  machine  fell  once  more  into  proper  ways. 
The  servants  learned  obedience.  The  plans  for  the 
work  of  the  spring  somehow  went  on  much  as  for 
merly.  Everywhere  there  became  manifest  the  presence 
of  a  quiet,  strong,  restraining  and  self-restrained  in 
fluence. 

In  time  the  doctor  became  lighter  in  his  speech, 
less  frequent  in  his  visits.  "  You're  not  going  to 
lose  that  musical  leg,  Dunwody,"  said  he.  "  Old  Ma 
Nature  beats  all  us  surgeons.  In  time  she'll  fill  you 
in  a  nice  new  bone  along  there  maybe,  and  if  you're 
careful  you'll  have  two  feet  for  quite  a  while  yet  to 
come.  You've  ruined  old  Eleazar's  fiddle,  though, 

246 


THE  PAYMENT 

taking  that  E  string!  Did  I  ever  tell  you  all  about 
that  coon  dog  of  mine  I  had,  once?  " 

Dunwody  at  last  reached  the  point  of  his  recovery 
where  he  could  grin  at  these  remarks ;  but  if  any 
thing,  he  had  grown  more  grim  and  silent  than  be 
fore.  Once  in  a  while  his  eyes  would  linger  on  the 
face  of  Josephine.  Little  speech  of  any  kind  passed 
between  them.  There  were  no  callers  at  Talhvoods, 
no  news  came,  and  apparently  none  went  out  from 
that  place.  It  might  have  been  a  fortress,  an  island, 
a  hospital,  a  prison,  all  in  one. 

At  length  Dunwody  was  able  safely  to  leave  his 
room  and  to  take  up  a  resting  place  occasionally  in  the 
large  library  across  the  hall.  Here  one  day  by  acci 
dent  she  met  him.  He  did  not  at  first  note  her  com 
ing,  and  she  had  opportunity  now  carefully  to  regard 
him,  as  he  stood  moodily  looking  out  over  the  lawn. 
Always  a  tall  man,  and  large,  his  figure  had  fined  down 
in  the  confinement  of  the  last  few  weeks.  It  seemed 
to  her  that  she  saw  the  tinge  of  gray  crawling  a  little 
higher  on  his  temples.  His  face  was  not  yet  thin, 
yet  in  some  way  the  lines  of  the  mouth  and  jaw  seemed 
stronger,  more  deeply  cut.  It  was  a  face  not  sullen, 
yet  absorbed,  and  above  all  full,  now,  of  a  settled  mel 
ancholy. 

"  Good  morning,"  said  he,  smiling,  as  he  saw  her. 
"  Come  in.  I  want  to  talk  to  you.  But  please  don't 
resume  our  old  argument  about  the  compromise,  and 
about  slavery  and  the  rights  of  man.  You've  been 

247 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

trying  —  all  these  weeks  when  I've  been  down  and 
helpless  and  couldn't  either  fight  or  run  away  —  to 
make  me  be  a  Bentonite,  or  worse,  an  abolitionist  — 
trying,  haven't  you?  to  make  me  an  apostate,  faith 
less  to  my  state,  my  beliefs,  my  traditions  —  and  I 
suppose  you'd  be  shrewd  enough  to  add,  faithless  to 
my  material  interests.  Please  don't,  this  morning. 
I  don't  want  subjective  thought.  I  don't  want  alge 
bra.  I  don't  want  history  or  law,  or  medicine.  I 
want  — " 

She  stood  near  the  window,  at  some  distance  re 
moved  from  him,  even  as  she  passed  stopping  to  tidy 
up  a  disarranged  article  on  the  tables  here  or  there. 
He  smiled  again  at  this.  "  Where  is  Sally  ? "  he 
asked.  "  And  how  about  your  maid  ?  " 

"  Some  one  must  do  these  things,"  she  answered. 
"  Your  servants  need  watching.  Sally  is  never  where 
I  can  find  her.  Jeanne  I  can  always  find  —  but  it  is 
with  her  young  man,  Hector !  " 

He  shook  his  head  impatiently.  "  It  all  comes  on 
you  —  work  like  this.  What  could  I  have  done  with 
out  you?  But  yourself,  how  are  you  coming  on? 
That  arm  of  yours  has  pained  me — " 

"  It  ceased  to  trouble  me  some  time  since.  The 
doctor  says,  too,  that  you'll  be  quite  well,  soon. 
That's  fine." 

He  nodded.  "It's  wonderful,  isn't  it?"  said  he. 
"  You  did  it.  Without  you  I'd  be  out  there."  He 
nodded  toward  the  window,  beyond  which  the  grass- 

248 


THE  PAYMENT 

grown  stones  of  the  little  family  graveyard  might 
be  seen.  "  You're  wonderful." 

He  wheeled  painfully  toward  her  presently.  "  Lis 
ten.  We  two  are  alone  here,  in  spite  of  our 
selves.  Face  to  face  again,  in  spite  of  all,  and  well 
enough,  now,  both  of  us,  to  go  back  to  our  firing 
lines  before  long.  \Ye  have  come  closer  together  than 
many  men  and  women  get  to  be  in  a  good  many  years ; 
but  we're  enemies,  and  apart,  now.  At  least  you 
have  seen  me  pretty  much  as  I  am  —  a  savage  —  not 
much  more.  I've  seen  you  for  what  you  are  —  one 
woman  out  of  hundreds,  of  thousands.  There  isn't 
going  to  be  any  woman  in  my  life,  after  you. — 
\Yould  you  mind  handing  me  that  paper,  please?" 

He  passed  the  document  to  her  opened.  "  Here's 
what  I  meant  to  do  if  I  didn't  come  through.  It 
wrasn't  much.  But  I  am  to  pay;  and  if  I  had  died, 
that  was  all  I  could  pay.  That's  my  last  will  and 
testament,  my  clear  girl.  I  have  left  you  all  I  have. 
It  is  a  legal  will.  There'll  never  be  any  codicil." 

She  looked  at  him  straight.  "  It  is  not  valid,"  she 
said.  "  Surely  you  are  not  of  sound  mind!" 

He  looked  about  him  at  the  room,  for  the  first 
time  in  his  memory  immaculately  neat.  From  a  dis 
tance  there  came  the  sound  of  a  contented  servant's 
voice.  An  air  of  rest  and  peace  seemed  in  some  \vay 
to  be  all  about  him.  He  sighed.  "  I  never  will  be 
of  sound  mind  again,  I  fear. 

"  Make  this  paper  valid !  "  he  suddenly  demanded. 
249 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Give  me  my  sound  mind  too.  You've  given  me 
back  my  body  sound." 

Her  lips  parted  in  a  smile  sufficient  to  show  the 
row  of  her  white  and  even  teeth.  "  You  are  getting 
well.  It  is  time  for  me  to  go.  As  to  this  — "  She 
handed  him  back  the  paper  folded. 

"  You  think  it's  only  an  attempt  to  heal  the  sore 
ness  of  my  conscience,  don't  you?"  he  said  after  a 
time,  shaking  his  head.  "It  was;  but  it  was  more. 
Well,  you  can't  put  your  image  out  of  my  heart,  any 
how.  I've  got  that.  So  you're  going  to  leave  me 
now?  Soon?  Let  it  be  soon.  I  suppose  it  has  to 
come." 

"  My  own  affairs  require  me.  There  is  no  possible 
tenure  on  which  I  could  stay  here  much  longer.  Not 
even  Jeanne  — " 

"  No,"  said  he,  at  length,  again  in  conviction,  shak 
ing  his  head.  "  There  isn't  any  way." 

"  You  make  it  so  hard,"  said  she.  "  Why  are  you  so 
stubborn  ?  " 

"  Listen !  "  He  turned,  and  again  there  came  back 
to  his  face  the  old  righting  flush.  "  I  faced  the  loss  of 
a  limb  and  said  I  couldn't  stand  that  and  live.  Now 
you  are  going  to  cut  the  heart  out  of  me.  You  ask 
me  to  live  in  spite  of  that.  How  can  I?  Were  you 
ever  married,  Madam?"  This  last  suddenly. 

"  You  may  regard  it  as  true,"  said  she  slowly,  after 
long  hesitation.  "  Were  you  ?  " 

'You  may  regard  that  also  as  true!"  He  set  his 
jaw,  and  looked  at  her  straight.  Their  eyes  met, 

250 


THE  PAYMENT 

steadily,  seeking,  searching.  They  now  again,  op 
posed,  stood  on  the  firing  lines  as  he  had  said. 

"  But  you  told  me, — "  she  began. 

"  I  told  you  nothing,  if  you  will  remember.  I  only 
said  that,  if  you  could  feel  as  I  did,  I'd  let  the  heavens 
fold  as  a  scroll  before  I'd  ask  a  word  about  your  past. 
I'd  begin  all  the  world  all  over  again,  right  here.  So 
far  as  I  am  concerned,  I  wouldn't  even  care  about  the 
law.  But  you're  not  so  lawless  as  I  am.  And  some 
how,  I've  got  to  thinking  —  a  little  —  of  your  side  of 
things." 

"  The  law  does  not  prevent  me  from  doing  as  I 
like,"  she  replied.  It  was  agony  that  showed  on  his 
face  at  this. 

"  That  demands  as  much  from  me,  if  I  play  fair 
with  you,"  he  said  slowly.  "  Suppose  there  was  some 
sort  of  law  that  held  me  back?  " 

"  I  have  not  observed  any  vast  restraint  in  you !  " 

"  Not  at  first.  Haven't  you  gained  any  better 
opinion?  " 

She  was  one  of  those  able  to  meet  a  question  with 
silence.  He  was  obliged  to  continue. 

"  Suppose  I  should  tell  you  that,  all  the  time  I  was 
talking  to  you  about  what  I  felt,  there  was  a  wall,  a 
great  wall,  for  ever  between  us?  " 

"  In  that  case,  I  should  regret  God .  had  made  a 
man  so  forgetful  of  honor.  I  should  be  glad  Heaven 
had  left  me  untouched  by  anything  such  a  man  could 
say.  Suppose  that?—  Why,  suppose  I  had  cared, 
and  that  I  had  found  after  all  that  there  was  no  hope  ? 

251 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

There    comes    in    conscience,    Sir,    there    comes    in 
honor." 

"  Then,  in  such  case  — ' 

"  In  such  case  any  woman  would  hate  a  man ! 
Stress  may  win  some  women,  but  deceit  never  did." 

"  I  have  not  deceived  you." 

"  Do  you  wish  to  do  so  now  ?  " 

"  No.  It's  just  the  contrary.  Haven't  I  said  you 
must  go?  But  since  you  must  go,  and  since  I  must 
pay,  I'm  willing,  if  you  wish,  to  bare  my  life  to  the 
very  bone,  to  the  heart  before  you,  now  —  right  now." 

She  pondered  for  a  moment.  "  Of  course,  I  knew 
there  was  something.  There,  in  that  room  —  in  that 
wardrobe  —  those  were  her  garments  —  of  another 
—  another  woman.  Who  ?  " 

"  Wait,    now.     Go    slow,    because    I'm    suffering. 
Listen.     I'll  not  hear  a  word  about  your  own  life  — 
I  want  no  secret  of  you.     I'm  content.     But  I'm  will 
ing  now,  I  say,  to  tell  you  all  about  that  —  about  those 
things. 

"  I  didn't  do  that  at  first,  but  how  could  I  ?  There 
wasn't  any  chance.  Besides,  when  I  saw  you,  the  rest 
of  the  world,  the  rest  of  my  life,  it  was  all,  all  wiped 
out  of  my  mind,  as  though  some  drug  had  done  it. 
You  came,  you  were  so  sweet,  my  lack  was  so  horrible, 
that  I  took  you  into  my  soul,  a  drug,  a  balm,  an  in 
fluence,  a  wonderful  thing. 

"  Oh,  I'm  awake  now !  But  I  reckon  maybe  that 
doesn't  mean  that  I'm  getting  out  of  my  dream,  but 
only  into  it,  deeper  yet.  I  was  mad  for  you  then.  I 

252 


THE  PAYMENT 

could  feel  the  blood  sting  in  my  veins,  for  you.  Life 
is  life  after  all,  and  we're  made  as  we  are.  But  later, 
now,  beside  that,  on  top  of  that,  something  else  — 
do  you  think  it's  —  do  you  suppose  I'm  capable  of  it, 
selfish  as  I  am?  Do  you  reckon  it's  love,  just  big, 
worthy,  decent  love,  better  than  anything  in  the  world? 
Is  that  —  do  you  reckon,  clear  girl,  that  that's  why 
I'm  able  now  to  say  good-by?  I  loved  you  once  so 
much  I  could  not  let  you  go.  Now  I  love  so  much 
I  can  not  let  you  stay !  I  reckon  this  is  love.  I'm  not 
ashamed  to  tell  it.  I'm  not  afraid  to  justify  it.  And 
I  can't  help  it." 

It  was  any  sort  of  time,  a  moment,  an  hour,  be 
fore  there  was  spoken  speech  between  them  after  that. 
At  last  they  both  heard  her  voice. 

"  Now,  you  begin  to  pay.     I  am  glad.     I  am  glad." 

"  Then  it  is  your  revenge  ?  Very  well.  You  have 
it." 

"  No,  no !  You  must  not  say  that.  Believe  me, 
I  want  you  to  feel  how  —  how  much  I  admire  —  no, 
wait, —  how  much  I  admire  any  man  who  could  show 
your  courage.  It's  not  revenge,  it's  not  vanity - 

He  waited,  his  soul  in  his  eyes,  hoping  for  more 
than  this ;  but  she  fell  silent  again. 

"  Then  it  is  the  end,"  he  said. 

He  held  up  his  fingers,  scarred  to  the  bone. 

"  That's  where  I  bruised  my  hands  when  I  clenched 
on  the  table,  yonder.  You  wouldn't  think  it,  maybe, 
but  I  love  pictures.  I've  spent  a  lot  of  time  looking  for 
them  and  at  them.  I  remember  one  collection  —  many 

253 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

pictures  of  the  martyrs,  hbrrors  in  art,  nightmares. 
Here  was  a  man  disemboweled  —  they  wound  his 
very  bowels  about  a  windlass,  before  his  eyes,  and  at 
each  turn  —  I  could  see  it  written  in  the  picture  — 
they  asked  him,  did  he  yield  at  last,  did  he  agree,  did 
he  consent.  .  .  .  Then  they  wound  again.  Here 
another  man  was  on  an  iron  chair,  flames  under  him. 
Now  and  then  they  asked  him,  Should  they  put  out  the 
flames  and  hear  him  say  he  had  foresworn  his  cause? 
Again,  there  was  a  man  whom  they  had  shot  full  of 
arrows,  one  by  one,  little  by  little,  and  they  asked  him, 
now  and  then,  if  he  foreswore  his  faith.  .  .  .  But 
I  knew  he  would  not  —  I  knew  these  had  not.  .  . 

"  That's  the  way  it  is,"  he  said  slowly.  "  That's 
what  you're  seeing  now.  These  scars  on  my  fingers 
came  cheap.  I  reckon  they've  got  to  run  deeper,  clean 
down  into  my  heart.  Yet  you're  saying  that  now 
I  begin  to  pay.  Yes.  When  I  pay,  I'm  going  to  pay. 
And  I'm  not  going  to  take  my  martyrdom  for  im 
mediate  sake  of  any  crown,  either.  There  is  none  for 
me.  I  reckon  I  sinned  too  far  against  one  of  God's 
angels.  I  reckon  it's  maybe  just  lasting  hell  for  me, 
and  not  a  martyrdom  with  an  end  to  it  some  time. 
That's  how  I've  got  to  pay. 

"Now,  do  you  want  me  to  tell  you  all  the  rest?" 

She  would  not  answer,  and  he  resumed. 

"  Do  you  want  me  to  tell  what  you've  maybe  heard, 
about  this  house?  Do  you  want  me  to  tell  whose  gar 
ments  those  were  that  you  saw?  Do  you  want  my 
past?  Do  you  want  to  see  my  bowels  dragged  out 

254 


THE  PAYMENT 

before  your  eyes?  Do  you  want  to  turn  the  wheel 
with  your  own  hands?  Do  you  want  me  to  pay,  that 
way?" 

She  went  to  him  swiftly,  put  a  hand  on  his  arm. 
"  No !  "  said  she.  "  What  I  want  you  to  believe  is 
that  it's  life  makes  us  pay,  that  it's  God  makes  us 
pay. 

"  I  want  you  to  believe,  too,"  she  went  on  after  a 
time,  "  that  we  need  neither  of  us  be  cheap.  I'm  not 
going  to  ask  you  one  thing,  I'm  not  going  to  listen 
to  one  word.  You  must  not  speak.  I  must  go.  It's 
just  because  I  must  go  that  I  shall  not  allow  you  to 
speak." 

"Is  my  debt  to  you  paid,  then?"  His  voice 
trembled. 

"  So  far  as  it  runs  to  me,  it  is  paid." 

"What  remains?" 

"  Nothing  but  the  debt  of  yourself  to  yourself.  I'm 
going  to  look  back  to  a  strange  chapter  in  my  life  — 
a  life  which  has  had  some  strange  ones.  I'm  not  go 
ing  to  be  able  to  forget,  of  course,  what  you've  said 
to  me.  A  woman  loves  to  be  loved.  When  I  go,  I 
go ;  but  I  want  to  look  back,  now  and  then,  and  see 
you  still  paying,  and  getting  richer  with  each  act  of 
courage,  when  you  pay,  to  yourself,  not  me." 

"Ah!  fanatic.  Ah!  visionary.  Ah!'  dreamer, 
dreamer.  And  you!" 

"  That  is  the  rest  of  the  debt.  Let  the  wheel  turn 
if  need  be.  Each  of  us  has  suffering.  Mine  own  is 
for  the  faith,  for  the  cause." 

255 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  For  what  faith  ?  What  cause  do  you  mean  ?  " 
"  The  cause  of  the  world,"  she  answered  vaguely. 
"  The  cause  of  humanity.  Oh,  the  world's  so  big, 
and  we're  so  very  little.  Life  runs  away  so  fast.  So 
many  suffer,  in  the  world,  so  many  want !  Is  it  right 
for  us,  more  fortunate,  to  take  all,  to  eat  in  greed,  to 
sleep  in  sloth,  to  be  free  from  care,  when  there  are 
thousands,  all  over  the  world,  needing  food,  aid,  sym 
pathy,  opportunity,  the  chance  to  grow  ? 

"  Why,"  she  went  on,  "  I  put  out  little  plants,  and 
I  love  them,  always,  because  they're  going  to  grow, 
they're  going  to  live.  I  love  it  —  that  thought  of 
life,  of  growth.  Well,  can  I  make  you  understand, 
that  was  what  I  felt  over  yonder,  in  that  revolution, 
in  mid-Europe.  I  felt  it  was  just  like  seeing  little 
plants  set  out,  to  grow.  Those  poor  people!  Those 
poor  people !  They're  coming  over  here,  to  grow, 
here  in  America,  in  this  great  country  out  here,  in 
this  West.  They'll  grow,  like  plants  extending,  like 
grass  multiplying,  going  out,  edging  westward,  all  the 
time.  Ah,  thousands  of  them,  millions  yet  to  come, 
plants,  little  human  plants,  with  the  right  to  live  born 
with  them.  I  don't  so  much  mind  about  their  creed. 
I  don't  so  much  mind  about  race  —  their  color,  even. 
But  to  see  them  grow  —  why,  I  suppose  God  up  in 
His  Heaven  looks  down  and  smiles  when  He  sees  that. 
And  we  —  we  who  are  here  for  a  little  time  —  we 
who  sometimes  are  given  minds  and  means  to  fall  in 
tune  with  God's  smile  —  why,  when  we  grow  little 
and  selfish,  instead  of  getting  in  tune  with  the  wish 

256 


THE  PAYMENT 

of  God  —  why,   we   fail.     Then,   indeed,   we  do  not 
pay  —  we  repudiate  our  debt  to  ourselves." 

'  You  are  shaming  me,"  he  said  slowly.     "  But  I 
see  why  they  put  you  out  of  Washington." 

"  But  they  can  not  put  God  out  of  Heaven !  They 
can  not  turn  back  the  stars !  They  can  not  stop  the 
rush  of  those  westbound  feet,  the  spread  of  the  mil 
lions,  millions  of  blades  of  grass  edging  out,  on.  That 
is  what  will  make  you  see  this  '  higher  law,'  some 
time.  That  is  big  politics,  higher  than  what  you  call 
your  traditions.  That  will  shame  little  men.  Many 
traditions  are  only  egotism  and  selfishness.  There  is 
a  compromise  which  will  be  final  —  not  one  done  in 
a  mutual  cowardice.  It's  one  done  in  a  mutual  large 
ness  and  courage. 

"  Oh, "--she  beat  her  hands  together,  as  was  some 
times  her  way  — "  America,  this  great  West,  this 
splendid  country  where  the  feet  are  hurrying  on  so 
fast,  fast  —  and  the  steam  now  carries  men  faster, 
faster,  so  that  it  may  be  done  —  it  may  be  done  - 
without  delay  —  why,  all  this  America  must  one  day 
give  over  war  and  selfishness  —  just  as  we  two  have 
tried  to  give  over  war  and  selfishness,  right  here,  right 
now.  Do  you  suppose  this  world  was  made  just  to 
hold  selfishness  and  unhappiness  ?  Do  you  think  that's 
all  there  ever  was  to  the  plan  of  life  ?  Ah,  no  !  There's 
something  in  living  beyond  eating  and  drinking  and 
sleeping  and  begetting.  Faith  —  a  great  faith  in 
something,  some  plan  ahead,  some  purpose  under  you 
—  ah,  that's  living !  " 

257 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  But  they  banished  you  for  that?  " 

'  Yes,  that's  why  they  put  me  out  of  Washington, 
I  suppose.  I've  been  twice  banished.  That  is  why 
I  came  here  to  this  country.  Maybe,  Sir,  that  is  why 
I  came  to  you,  here !  Who  shall  say  as  to  these 
things?  If  only  I  could  feel  your  faith,  your  be 
liefs  to  be  the  same  as  mine,  I'd  go  away  happy,  for 
then  I'd  kno\v  it  had  been  a  plan,  somehow,  some 
where  —  for  us,  maybe." 

His  throat  worked  strongly.  There  was  some 
struggle  in  the  man.  At  last  he  spoke,  and  quietly. 
"  I  see  what  separates  us  now.  It  is  the  wall  of  our 
convictions.  You  are  specifically  an  abolitionist,  just 
as  you  are  in  general  a  revolutionist.  I'm  on  the 
other  side.  That's  between  us,  then?  An  abstrac 
tion  !  " 

"  I  don't  think  so.  There  are  three  walls  between 
us.  The  first  you  put  up  when  you  first  met  me. 
The  second  is  what  you  call  your  traditions,  your  be 
lief  in  wasting  human  life.  The  third  —  it's  this 
thing  of  which  you  must  not  speak.  Why  should  I 
ponder  as  to  that  last  wall,  when  two  others,  insur 
mountable,  lie  between?" 

"  Visionary,  subjective !  " 

"  Then  let  us  be  concrete  if  you  like.  Take  the 
case  of  the  girl  Lily.  She  was  the  actual  cause  of 
your  getting  hurt,  of  many  men  being  killed.  Why?  " 

"  Because  she  was  a  runaway  slave.  The  law  has 
to  be  enforced,  property  must  be  protected,  even  if 
it  costs  life  sometimes.  There'd  be  no  government 

258 


THE  PAYMENT 

otherwise.     We  men  have  to  take  our  chances  in  a 
time  like  that.     The  duty  is  plain." 

"  How  utterly  you  fail  of  the  truth !  That's  not 
why  there  was  blood  spilled  over  her.  Do  you  know 
who  she  is  ?  " 

"  No,"  he  said. 

"  She  is  the  daughter  of  your  friend,  Judge  Clayton, 
of  the  bench  of  justice  in  your  commonwealth.  That 
is  why  she  wants  to  run  away!  Her  father  does 
not  know  he  is  her  father.  God  has  His  own  way 
of  righting  such  things." 

"  There  are  things  we  must  not  talk  about  in  this 
slavery  question.  Stop!  I  did  not,  of  course,  know 
this.  And  Clayton  did  not  know !  " 

"There  are  things  which  ought  not  to  be;  but  if 
you  vote  for  oppression,  if  you  vote  yonder  in  your 
legislature  for  the  protection  of  this  institution,  if  you 
must  some  day  vote  yonder  in  Congress  for  its  exten 
sion,  for  the  right  to  carry  it  into  other  lands  —  the 
same  lands  where  now  the  feet  of  freedom-seekers  are 
hurrying  from  all  over  the  world,  so  strangely,  so 
wonderfully  —  then  you  vote  for  a  compromise  that 
God  never  intended  to  go  through  or  to  endure.  Is 
that  your  vote?  Come  now,  I  will  tell  you  some 
thing." 

"  You  are  telling  me  much." 

"  I  will  tell  you  —  that  night,  when  Carlisle  would 
have  killed  you  in  your  room  there,  when  I  afterward 
put  you  all  on  parole  — " 

"  Yes,  yes." 

259 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  I  saved  you  then;  and  sent  them  away.  Do  you 
know  why  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  it  was  horror  of  more  blood." 

"  I  don't  think  so.  I  believe  it  was  just  for  this  — 
for  this  very  talk  I'm  having  now  with  you.  I  saved 
you  then  so  that  some  day  I  might  demand  you  as 
hostage. 

"  I  want  you  to  vote  with  me,"  she  continued,  "  for 
the  '  higher  law.'  I  want  you  to  vote  with  the  west 
bound  wheels,  with  God's  blades  of  grass !  " 

"  God !  woman  !  You  have  gift  of  tongues !  Now 
listen  to  me.  Which  shall  we  train  with,  among  your 
northern  men,  John  Ouincy  Adams  or  William  Lloyd 
Garrison,  with  that  sane  man  or  the  hysterical  one? 
Is  Mr.  Beecher  a  bigger  man  than  Mr.  Jefferson  was?  " 

"  I  know  you're  honest,"  she  said,  frowning,  "  but 
let  us  try  to  see.  There's  Mr.  Birney,  of  Alabama, 
a  Southerner  who  has  gone  over,  through  all,  to  the 
abolitionists  as  you  call  them.  And  would  you  call 
Mr.  Clay  a  fool?  Or  Mr.  Benton,  here  in  your  own 
state,  who — " 

"  Oh,  don't  mention  Benton  to  me  here !  He's 
anathema  in  this  state." 

"  Yet  you  might  well  study  Mr.  Benton's  views. 
He  sees  the  case  of  Lily  first,  the  case  of  the  Consti 
tution  afterward.  Ah,  why  can't  you?  Why,  Sir,  if 
I  could  only  get  you  to  think  as  he  does  —  a  man 
with  your  power  and  influence  and  faculty  for  leader 
ship  —  I'd  call  this  winter  well  spent  —  better  spent 
than  if  I'd  been  left  in  Washington." 

260 


THE  PAYMENT 

"  Suppose  I  wanted  to  change  my  beliefs,  how 
would  I  go  about  it  ?  "  He  frowned  in  his  intent  effort 
to  follow  her,  even  in  her  enthusiasm.  "  Once  I  asked 
a  preacher  how  I  could  find  religion,  and  he  told  me 
by  coming  to  the  Saviour.  I  told  him  that  was  begging 
the  question,  and  asked  him  how  I  could  find  the 
Saviour.  All  he  could  say  was  to  answer  once  more, 
*  Come  to  the  Saviour ! '  That's  reasoning  in  a  circle. 
Now,  if  a  man  hasn't  got  faith,  how's  he  going  to  get 
it  —  by  what  process  can  he  reach  out  into  the  dark 
and  find  it?  What's  the  use  of  his  saying  he  has 
found  faith  when  he  knows  he  hasn't?  There's  a  re 
semblance  between  clean  religion  and  honest  politics. 
The  abolitionists  have  never  given  us  Southerners 
any  answer  to  this." 

"  No,"  said  she.  "  I  can  not  give  you  any  answer. 
For  myself,  I  have  found  that  faith." 

"You  would  endure  much  for  your  convictions?" 
he  demanded  suddenly. 

"  Very  much,  Sir." 

"  Suffer  martyrdom?  " 

"  Perhaps  I  have  done  so." 

"  Would  you  suffer  more  ?  You  undertake  the  con 
version  of  a  sinner  like  myself?" 

The  flame  of  his  eye  caught  hers  in  spite  of  her 
self.  A  little  flush  came  into  her  cheek. 

"  Tell  me,"  he  demanded  imperiously,  "  on  what 
terms  ?  " 

"  You  do  not  play  the  game.  You  would  ask  me 
to  preach  to  you  —  but  you  would  come  to  see  the 

261 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

revival,  not  to  listen  to  grace.  It  isn't  playing  the 
game." 

"But  you're  seeking  converts?" 

"  I  would  despise  no  man  in  the  world  so  much  as 
a  hypocrite,  a  turn-coat !  You  can't  purchase  faith  in 
the  market  place,  not  any  more  than  — 

"  Any  more  than  you  can  purchase  love?  But  I've 
been  wanting  not  the  sermon,  but  the  preacher.  You ! 
You !  Yes,  it  is  the  truth.  I  want  nothing  else  in 
the  world  so  much  as  you." 

"  I'd  never  care  for  a  man  who  would  admit  that." 

"  There  never  was  a  woman  in  the  world  loved  a 
man  who  did  not." 

"  Oh,  always  I  try  to  analyze  these  things,"  she 
went  on  desperately,  facing  him,  her  eyes  somber,  her 
face  aglow,  her  attitude  tense.  "  I  try  to  look  in  my 
mirror  and  I  demand  of  what  I  see  there.  '  What 
are  you?'  I  say.  'What  is  this  that  I  see?'  Why, 
I  can  see  that  a  woman  might  love  her  own  beauty  for 
itself.  Yes,  I  love  my  beauty.  But  I  don't  see  how  a 
woman  could  care  for  a  man  who  only  cared  for  that, 
—  what  she  saw  in  her  mirror,  don't  you  know  ?  " 

"  Any  price,  for  just  that !  "  he  said  grimly. 

"  No,  no !  You  would  not.  Don't  say  that !  I  so 
much  want  you  to  be  bigger  than  that." 

"  The  woman  you  see  in  your  mirror  would  be  cheap 
at  any  cost." 

"  But  a  man  even  like  yourself,  Sir,  would  be  very 
cheap,  if  his  price  was  such  as  you  say.  No  turn- 

262 


THE  PAYMENT 

coat  could  win  me  —  I'd  love  him  more  on  his  own 
side  yonder  threefold  wall,  with  his  convictions,  than 
on  my  side  without  them.  I  couldn't  be  bought  cheap 
as  that,  nor  by  a  cheap  man.  I'd  never  love  a  man 
who  held  himself  cheap. 

"  But  then,"  she  added,  casting  back  at  him  one  of 
his  own  earlier  speeches,  "  if  you  only  thought  as  I 
did,  what  could  not  we  two  do  together  —  for  the 
cause  of  those  human  blades  of  grass  —  so  soon  cut 
down?  Ah,  life  is  so  little,  so  short!  " 

"  No !  No !  Stop !  "  he  cried  out.  "  Ah,  now  is 
the  torture  —  now  you  turn  the  wheel.  I  can  not  re 
cant  !  I  can  not  give  up  my  convictions,  or  my  love, 
either  one ;  and  yet  —  I'm  not  sure  I'm  going  to  have 
left  either  one.  It's  hell,  that's  what's  left  for  me.  But 
listen !  What  for  those  that  grow  as  flowers,  tall, 
beautiful,  there  among  the  grass  that  is  cut  down  — 
should  they  perish  from  the  earth  ?  For  what  were 
such  as  they  made,  tall  and  beautiful?  —  poppies,  mys 
tic,  drug-like,  delirium  producing?  Is  that  it  —  is  that 
your  purpose  in  life,  then,  after  all  ?  You  —  what  you 
see  in  your  mirror  there  —  is  it  the  purpose  of  that 
being  —  so  beautiful,  so  beautiful  —  to  waste  itself, 
all  through  life,  over  some  vague  and  abstract  thing 
out  of  which  no  good  can  come?  Is  that  all?  My 
God !  Much  as  I  love  you,  I'd  rather  see  you  marry 
some  other  man  than  think  of  you  never  married  at 
all.  God  never  meant  a  flower  such  as  you  to  wither, 
to  die,  to  be  wasted.  Why,  look  at  you !  Look 

263 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

.  .  .  at  ...  yon !  And  you  say  you  are  to 
be  wasted !  God  never  meant  it  so,  you  beauty,  you 
wonderful  woman!  " 

Even  as  she  was  about  to  speak,  drawn  by  the  pas 
sion  of  him,  the  agony  of  his  cry,  there  came  to  the 
ears  of  both  an  arresting  sound  —  one  which  it  seemed 
to  Josephine  was  not  wholly  strange  to  her  ears.  It 
was  like  the  cry  of  a  babe,  a  child's  wail,  difficult  to 
locate,  indefinite  in  distance. 

"  What  was  it ?  "  she  whispered.     "  Did  you  hear?  " 

He  made  no  answer,  except  to  walk  to  her  straight 
and  take  her  by  the  arms,  looking  sadly,  mournfully 
into  her  face. 

"  Ah,  my  God !  My  God !  Have  I  not  heard  ? 
What  else  have  I  heard,  these  years?  And  you're  big 
enough  not  to  ask  - 

"  It  can't  endure  this  way,"  said  he,  after  a  time  at 
last.  "  You  must  go.  Once  in  a  while  I  forget.  It's 
got  to  be  good-by  between  you  and  me.  We'll  set 
to-morrow  morning  as  the  time  for  you  to  go. 

"  As  I  have  a  witness,"  he  said  at  last,  "  I've  paid. 
Good-by !  " 

He  crushed  her  to  him  once,  as  though  she  were  no 
no  more  than  a  flower,  as  though  he  would  take  the 
heart  of  her  fragrance.  Then,  even  as  she  felt  the 
heave  of  his  great  body,  panting  at  the  touch  of  her, 
mad  at  the  scent  of  her  hair,  he  put  her  back  from  him 
with  a  sob,  a  groan.  As  when  the  knife  had  begun 
its  work,  his  scarred  fingers  caught  her  white  arms. 
He  bent  over,  afraid  to  look  into  her  eyes,  afraid  to 

264 


HE   BENT   AND   KISSED    HER    HANDS 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

ask  if  her  throat  panted  too,  afraid  to  risk  the  red 
curve  of  her  lips,  so  close  now  to  his,  so  sure  to  ruin 
him.  He  bent  and  kissed  her  hands,  his  lips  hot  on 
them;  and  so  left  her  trembling. 


266 


CHAPTER  XXII 

THE    WAY    OF    A    MAID 

IT  is  the  blessing  of  the  humble  that  they  have 
simplicity  of  mental  processes.  Not  that  Hector 
himself  perhaps  would  thus  have  described  himself. 
The  curve  of  the  black  crow's  wing  on  his  somewhat 
retreating  forehead,  the  tilt  of  his  little  hat,  the  swing 
of  his  body  above  the  hips  as  he  walked,  all  bespoke 
Hector's  opinion  of  himself  to  be  a  good  one.  Valiant 
among  men,  irresistible  among  the  women  of  St. 
Genevieve,  he  was  not  the  one  to  mitigate  his  confi 
dence  in  himself  now  that  he  found  himself  free  from 
competition  and  in  the  presence  of  a  fair  one  whom  in 
sudden  resolve  he  established  in  his  affections  as  quite 
without  compare.  In  short,  Hector  had  not  tarried  a 
second  week  at  Tallwoods  before  offering  his  hand 
and  his  cooper  shop  to  Jeanne. 

To  the  eyes  of  Jeanne  herself,  confined  as  they  had 
been  to  the  offerings  of  a  somewhat  hopeless  class  of 
serving  persons  here  or  there,  this  swaggering  young 
man,  with  his  broad  shoulders,  his  bulky  body,  his  air 
of  bravado,  his  easy  speech,  his  ready  arm,  offered 
a  personality  with  which  she  was  not  too  familiar,  and 
which  did  not  lack  its  appeal.  With  Gallic  caution  she 

267 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

made  delicate  inquiry  of  Hector's  father  as  to  the 
yearly  returns  and  probable  future  of  the  cooperage 
business  at  St.  Genevieve,  as  to  the  desirability  of  the 
surrounding  country  upon  which  the  cooperage  busi 
ness  must  base  its  own  fortunes.  All  these  matters 
met  her  approval.  Wherefore,  the  air  of  Jeanne  be 
came  tinged  with  a  certain  lofty  condescension.  In 
her  own  heart  she  trembled  now,  not  so  much  as  to 
her  own  wisdom  or  her  own  future,  but  as  to  the 
meeting  which  must  be  had  between  herself  and  her 
mistress. 

This  meeting  at  last  did  take  place,  not  by  the  orig 
inal  motion  of  Jeanne  herself.  The  eye  of  her  mistress 
had  not  been  wholly  blind  all  these  days. 

"  Jeanne,"  she  demanded  one  day,  "  why  are  you 
away  so  much  when  I  desire  you?  I  have  often  seen 
you  and  that  young  man  yonder  in  very  close  conver 
sation.  Since  I  stand  with  you  as  your  guardian  and 
protector,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  inquire,  although  it  is 
not  in  the  least  my  pleasure.  You  must  have  a  care." 

"  Madame,"  expostulated  Jeanne,  "  it  is  nothing,  I 
assure  you.  Rien  du  tout  —  jamais  de  la  vie, 
Madame." 

"  Perhaps,  but  it  is  of  such  nothings  that  troubles 
sometimes  come.  Tell,  me,  what  has  this  young  man 
said  to  you?  " 

''But,  Madame!—" 

"  Tell  me.     It  is  quite  my  right  to  demand  it." 

"  But  he  has  said  many  things,  Madame." 

"  As,  for  instance,  that  you  please  him,  that  you 
268 


THE  WAY  OF  A  MAID 

are  beautiful,  that  you  have  a  voice  and  hand,  a  turn 
of  the  arm  — •  that  you  have  the  manner  Parisienne  — 
Jeanne,  is  it  not  so  ?  " 

"  But,  yes,  Madame,  and  indeed  more.  I  find  that 
young  man  of  excellent  judgment,  of  most  discriminat 
ing  taste." 

"  And  also  of  sufficient  boldness  to  express  the  same 
to  you,  is  it  not  so,  Jeanne?  " 

"  Madame,  the  strong  are  brave.  I  do  not  deny. 
Also  he  is  of  an  excellent  cooperage  business  in  St. 
Genevieve  yonder.  Moreover,  I  find  the  produce  of 
the  grape  in  this  country  to  increase  yearly,  so  that  the 
business  seems  to  be  of  a  certain  future,  Madame. 
His  community  is  well  founded,  the  oldest  in  this  por 
tion  of  the  valley.  He  is  young,  he  has  no  entangle 
ments  —  at  least,  so  far  as  I  discover.  He  has  an  ex 
cellent  home  with  his  old  mother.  Ah,  well! 
Madame,  one  might  do  worse." 

"  So,  then,  a  cooperage  business  so  promising  as 
that,  Jeanne,  seems  more  desirable  than  my  own  poor 
employment?  You  have  no  regard  for  your  duty  to 
one  who  has  cared  for  you,  I  suppose?  You  desert 
me  precisely  at  the  time  my  own  affairs  require  my 
presence  in  Washington." 

"  But,  Madame,  why  Washington  ?  Is  that  our 
home?  What  actual  home  has  madame  on  the  face 
of  the  earth?  Ah,  Heaven!  were  only  it  possible  that 
this  man  were  to  be  considered.  This  place  so  large, 
so  beautiful,  so  in  need  of  a  mistress  to  control  it. 
Madame  says  she  \vas  carried  away  against  her  will. 

269 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Mon  Dieu!  All  my  life  have  I  dreamed  —  have  I 
hoped  —  that  some  time  a  man  should  steal  me,  to 
carry  me  away  to  some  place  such  as  this!  And  to 
make  love  of  such  a  warmness!  Ah,  Mon  Dieu! 

"  Behold,  Madame,"  she  went  on,  "  France  itself  is 
not  more  beautiful  than  this  country.  There  is  rich 
ness  here,  large  lands.  That  young  man  Hector,  he 
says  that  none  in  the  country  is  so  rich  as  Mr.  Dun- 
wodee  —  he  does  not  know  how  rich  he  is  himself. 
And  such  romance !  " 

"  Jeanne,  I  forbid  you  to  continue !  "  The  eyes  of 
her  mistress  had  a  dangerous  sparkle. 

"  I  obey,  Madame,  I  am  silent.  But  listen !  I  have 
followed  the  fortunes  of  madame  quite  across  the  sea. 
As  madame  knows,  I  do  not  lack  intelligence.  I  have 
read  —  many  romances,  my  heart  not  lacking  interest. 
Always  I  have  read,  I  have  dreamed,  of  some  man  who 
should  carry  me  away,  who  should  oblige  me  —  Ah, 
Madame!  what  girl  has  not  in  her  soul  some  hero? 
Almost  I  was  about  to  say  it  was  the  sight,  the  words, 
of  the  boldness,  the  audacity  of  this  assassin,  this  brute, 
who  has  brought  us  here  by  force  —  the  words  of  his 
love  so  passionate  to  madame,  which  stirred  in  my 
own  heart  the  passion !  That  I  might  be  stolen !  It 
was  the  dream  of  my  youth !  And  now  comes  this 
Hector,  far  more  bold  and  determined  than  this  Mr. 
Dunwodee.  That  assassin,  that  brute  began,  but  hes 
itated.  Ah,  Hector  has  not  hesitated !  Seeing  that  he 
would  in  any  case  possess  myself,  would  carry  me 
away,  I  yielded,  but  with  honor  and  grace,  Madame. 

270 


As  between  Monsieur  Dunwodee  and  Hector  —  il  y  a 
une  difference,  Madame  !  " 

"  Je  crols  qu'  oui,  Jeanne  —  je  Ic  crois!  But  it 
comes  to  the  same  thing,  eh  ?  You  forsake  me  ?  " 

"  Madame,  I  confess  sometimes  in  my  heart  there 
comes  a  desire  for  a  home,  for  a  place  where  one  may 
abide,  where  one  may  cease  to  wander." 

Josephine  sat  silent  for  a  moment.  In  what  direc 
tion  might  she  herself  now  turn  for  even  the  humblest 
friendship?  And  where  was  any  home  now  for  her? 
The  recreant  maid  saw  something  of  this  upon  her 
face. 

"  Madame,"  she  exclaimed,  falling  upon  her  knees 
in  consternation.  '  To  think  I  would  desert  you !  In 
my  heart  resides  nothing  but  loyalty  for  you.  How 
could  you  doubt?  " 

But  Josephine  was  wise  in  her  own  way.  That 
night  Jeanne  kissed  her  hand  dutifully,  yet  the  very 
next  morning  she  had  changed  her  mind.  With  sobs, 
tears,  she  admitted  that  she  had  decided  to  leave  serv 
ice,  no  longer  to  be  Jeanne,  but  Madame  Hector 
Fournier.  Thus,  at  the  very  time  when  she  most 
would  have  needed  aid  and  attendance,  Josephine  saw 
herself  about  to  be  left  alone. 

"  But,  Madame,"  said  Jeanne,  still  tearful,  returning 
after  brief  absence  from  the  room,  "  although  I  leave 
now  for  St.  Genevieve  to  stand  before  the  priest,  I 
shall  not  see  madame  left  without  attendance.  See, 
I  have  asked  of  this  Lily  person, —  la  void,  Madame 
—  if  she  could  take  service  with  madame.  Madame 

271 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

plans  soon  to  return  to  the  East.  Perhaps  this  Lily, 
then  — " 

"  Ma'am,  I  want  to  work  for  you !  "  broke  out  Lily 
suddenly,  stretching  out  her  hands.  "  I  don't  want 
to  go  back  home.  I  want  to  go  with  you.  I  cain't 
go  back  home  —  I'd  only  run  away  again.  They'd 
have  to  kill  me." 

Some  swift  arithmetic  was  passing  through  Jose 
phine's  mind  at  the  time.  Here,  then,  was  concrete 
opportunity  to  set  in  practice  some  of  her  theories. 

"  Lily,  would  you  like  to  come  with  me  as  my 
maid?"  she  demanded.  "Could  you  learn,  do  you 
think,  in  case  I  should  need  you  ?  " 

"Of  co'se  I  could  learn,  Ma'am.  I'd  do  my  very 
best." 

It  was  thus  that  it  was  agreed,  with  small  pre 
liminary,  that  on  the  next  morning  Tallwoods  should 
lose  three  of  its  late  tenants.  Josephine  ventured  to 
inquire  of  Dunwody  regarding  Lily.  "  Take  her  if 
you  like,"  said  he  bruskly.  "  I  will  arrange  the 
papers  for  it  with  Clayton  himself.  There  will  be 
no  expense  to  you.  If  he  wants  to  sell  the  girl  I'll 
pay  him.  No,  not  a  cent  from  you.  Go  on,  Lily,  if 
you  want  to.  This  time  you'll  get  shut  of  us,  I  reckon, 
and  we'll  get  shut  of  you.  I  hope  you'll  never  come 
back,  this  time.  You've  made  trouble  enough  al 
ready." 

Thus,  then,  on  the  day  of  departure,  Josephine  St. 
Auban  found  herself  standing  before  her  mirror.  It 
was  not  an  unlovely  image  which  she  saw  there.  In 

272 


THE  WAY  OF  A  MAID 

some  woman's  fashion,  assisted  by  Jeanne's  last  tear 
ful  services  and  the  clumsy  art  of  Lily,  she  had  man 
aged  a  garbing  different  from  that  of  her  first  arrival 
at  this  place.  The  lines  of  her  excellent  figure  now 
were  wholly  shown  in  this  costume  of  golden  brown 
which  she  had  reserved  to  the  last.  Her  hair  was  even 
glossier  than  when  she  first  came  here  to  Tallwoods, 
her  cheek  of  better  color.  She  was  almost  discon 
certed  that  the  trials  of  the  winter  had  wrought  no 
greater  ravages ;  but  after  all,  a  smile  was  not  absent 
from  her  lips.  Not  abolitionist  here  in  the  mirror, 
but  a  beautiful  young  woman.  Certainly,  whichever 
or  whoever  she  was,  she  made  a  picture  fit  wholly 
to  fill  the  eyes  of  the  master  of  Tallwoods  when  he 
came  to  tell  her  the  coach  was  ready  for  the  journey 
to  St.  Genevieve.  But  he  made  no  comment,  not  dar 
ing. 

"  See,"  she  said,  almost  gaily,  "  I  can  put  on  both 
my  gloves."  She  held  out  to  him  her  hands. 

"  They  are  very  small,"  he  replied  studiously.  He 
was  calm  now.  She  saw  he  had  himself  well  in  hand. 
His  face  was  pale  and  grave. 

"  Well,"  said  she  finally,  as  the  great  coach  drove 
around  to  the  door,  "  I  suppose  I  am  to  say  good- 
by." 

"  I'll  just  walk  with  you  down  the  road,"  he  an 
swered.  "  We  walked  up  it,  once,  together." 

They  followed  on,  after  the  coach  had  passed  down 
the  drivewTay,  Dunwody  now  moody  and  silent,  his 
head  dropped,  his  hands  behind  him,  until  the  carriage 

273 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

pulled  up  and  waited  at  the  end  of  the  shut-in  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  valley.  Josephine  herself  remained 
silent  as  well,  but  as  the  turn  of  the  road  approached 
which  would  cut  off  the  view  of  Talhvoods,  she  turned 
impulsively  and  waved  a  hand  in  farewell  at  the  great 
mansion  house  which  lay  back,  silent  and  strong, 
among  the  hills. 

He  caught  the  gesture  and  looked  at  her  quickly. 
"  That's  nice  of  you,"  said  he,  "  mighty  nice." 

In  some  new  sort  of  half-abashment  she  found  no 
immediate  reply.  He  left  her  then,  and  walked 
steadily  back  up  the  driveway,  saying  nothing  in  fare 
well,  and  not  once  looking  back.  For  a  time  she  fol 
lowed  him  with  her  gaze,  a  strange  sinking  at  her 
heart  of  which  she  was  ashamed,  which  gave  her  alike 
surprise  and  sudden  fear. 

It  was  a  much  abashed  and  still  tearful  though  not 
a  repentant  Jeanne  who  embraced  her  mistress,  after 
the  simple  little  wedding  of  Jeanne  and  Hector,  when 
they  had  repaired  to  the  wedding  feast  at  the  maison 
Fournier. 

"  But  come,  Madame,"  said  Jeanne.  "  Behold  my 
new  home.  Is  it  not  delightful?  This  is  the  mother 
of  Hector,  Madame,  and  this  —  ah,  this  is  the  home 
of  Hector  and  myself.  To-night  also  it  is  yours.  I 
am  rejoiced.  Madame,"  she  added,  in  an  aside,  while 
Lily,  stupid  and  awkward,  was  for  the  time  out  of  the 
way,  "  I  can  not  bear  to  think  of  your  going  away 
with  but  that  impossible  niggaire  there  to  care  for  you. 
Almost  —  were  it  not  for  Hector  and  for  this  home 

274 


SHE  WAVED   A   HAND  IN   FAREWELL 


THE  PURCHASE  'PRICE 

—  could  you  take  Hector  also  —  I  should  forget  all 
and  go  with  you  even  yet.  To-morrow  I  shall  go 
with  you  to  the  boat." 

But  alas!  in  the  morning  Jeanne  had  again  forgot 
ten. 

When  at  last  the  busy  little  steamer  swung  inshore, 
presently  to  churn  her  way  out  again  into  the  current, 
Josephine  went  aboard  with  only  the  colored  girl  for 
her  company.  Her  heart  sank  strangely,  and  she  felt 
more  lonely  than  ever  in  her  life  before.  She  leaned 
against  the  rail  for  a  time,  looking  at  the  banks  slip 
back  across  the  turbid  stream.  The  truth  was  com 
ing  into  her  heart  that  it  was  not  with  exultation  she 
now  was  turning  back  to  the  East  to  take  up  her  life 
again.  Something  was  different  now  — •  was  it  the 
loss  of  Jeanne  ?  Again  surprise,  terror,  shame,  withal 
wonder. 


276 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


MEANTIME,  the  storm  dreaded  as  so  immedi 
ate  by  the  administration  at  Washington  — 
the  organization  of  a  new  political  party,  born  of  the 
unrest  over  the  slavery  question  —  had  spent  its 
force,  and,  temporarily,  long  since  had  muttered  away 
in  the  distance,  leaving  scarce  a  trace  behind  it  on 
the  political  sky.  Austria,  England,  the  Old  World 
creeds  of  monarchies  arrayed  against  popular  govern 
ments,  had  their  way  at  our  capital,  where  the  birth 
of  an  actual  democracy  impended.  Active  leader 
ship  by  revolutionists  trained  in  Europe  was  sup 
pressed,  removed ;  as  in  one  instance  we  have  seen. 
One  abolitionist  mass-meeting  followed  another  in 
those  days,  but  the  results  of  all  were  much  the  same. 
Protests  and  declamation  abounded,  plan  and  leader 
ship  lacked.  The  strained  compromise  held.  Neither 
war  nor  a  new  party  came  as  yet,  disunion  was  not 
yet  openly  attempted.  Moreover,  there  was  a  deliber 
ate  intent  upon  an  era  of  good  feeling.  Whig  and 
Democrat  alike  forced  themselves  to  settle  down  into 
the  belief  that  peace  had  come.  If  men  were  slaves, 
why,  let  them  be  slaves.  At  that  time  the  national 

277 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

reflex  was  less  sensitive  than  it  later  became  with 
increased  telegraphic  and  news  facilities.  Washing 
ton  was  not  always  promptly  and  exactly  advised  of  the 
political  situation  in  this  or  that  more  remote  por 
tion  of  the  country.  This  very  fact,  however,  meant 
a  greater  stability  in  the  political  equilibrium.  Upon 
the  western  borders  the  feeling  of  unrest  now  became 
most  marked ;  and,  more  swiftly  than  was  generally 
recognized,  important  matters  there  were  going  for 
ward  ;  but  even  in  that  direction,  declared  the  prophets 
of  peace,  all  now  was  more  calm  than  it  had  been  for 
years. 

Six  years  before  this  time  Mr.  Wilkins,  secretary 
of  war,  had  proposed  to  organize  Nebraska  Terri 
tory  and  to  extend  thither  the  army  posts;  and  in 
that  same  year  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  then  of  the 
House,  had  introduced  a  bill  for  the  organization  of 
Nebraska;  but  neither  effort  had  had  result.  Two 
years  later,  Douglas,  then  in  the  Senate,  once  more 
sought  to  test  the  Squatter  Sovereignty  idea  regard 
ing  the  new  western  lands,  but  once  more  a  cold 
silence  met  his  attempts.  Six  months  after  that  time 
the  same  bill,  with  the  intent  of  attaching  Nebraska 
to  the  state  of  Arkansas,  was  killed  by  Congress, 
because  held  to  be  dangerous.  A  third  bill  by  Doug 
las,  later  in  the  same  year,  was  also  recommitted. 
The  "  Territory  of  the  Platte  "  was  the  next  attempt 
to  be  dropped.  All  these  crude  attempts  were  merged 
in  the  great  Compromise  of  1850.  The  might  of 
party  was  brought  to  bear  upon  all  questions  of 

278 


IN  WASHINGTON 

principle,  and  the  country  was  commanded  to  be  calm; 
indeed  for  a  time  was  calm.  It  was  the  time  of 
manacled  hands  and  of  manacled  minds.  Our  govern 
ment  was  not  a  real  democracy.  The  great  West  had 
not  yet  raised  its  voice,  augmented  by  new  millions  of 
voices  pealing  the  prean  of  liberty  and  opportunity  for 
man. 

In  this  era  of  arrested  activities,  the  energies  of 
a  restless  people  turned  otherwhere  for  interest.  To 
relieve  the  monotony  of  political  stagnation,  popular 
attention  was  now  turned  toward  the  affairs  of  Hun 
gary.  We  could  not  solve  our  own  problems,  but 
we  were  as  ready  to  solve  those  of  Europe  as 
Europe  was  to  offer  us  aid  in  ours.  Therefore,  in 
stant  interest  attached  to  the  news  that  a  Hungarian 
committee  of  inquiry  had  landed  upon  our  shores,  with 
the  purpose  of  investigating  a  possible  invitation  from 
our  republic  to  the  Hungarian  patriot,  Kossuth,  then 
in  exile  in  Turkey. 

The  leader  of  this  mission  was  General  Zewlinski, 
an  officer  of  the  patriot  army  of  Hungary,  who  brought 
with  him  a  suite  of  some  dozen  persons.  These,  late 
in  the  winter  of  1850-51,  arrived  at  Washington  and 
found  quarters  of  somewhat  magnificent  sort  in  one 
of  the  more  prominent  hotels  of  the  national  capital. 
At  once  political  and  journalistic  Washington  was  on 
the  qui  vive.  The  Hungarians  became  the  object  of 
a  solicitude,  not  to  say  a  curiosity,  which  must  at 
times  have  tried  their  souls. 

The  first  formal  action  of  the  Hungarian  com- 
279 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

mittee  took  the  shape  of  a  return  reception,  to  be  held 
in  the  hotel  parlors.  The  invitations,  liberal  as  they 
were,  were  sought  for  quite  in  excess  of  the  supply, 
and  long  before  the  doors  were  open,  it  was  quite  as 
sured  that  the  affair  would  be  a  crush.  The  admin 
istration,  for  which  Mr.  Webster,  our  secretary  of 
state,  had  not  hesitated  to  write  in  most  determined 
fashion  to  the  attache  Hiilsemann  regarding  the  pre 
sumptuous  Austrian  demands  upon  our  government, 
none  the  less  was  much  in  a  funk  regarding 
"  European  obligations."  Not  wishing  to  offend  the 
popular  fancy,  and  not  daring  to  take  decisive  stand, 
the  usual  compromise  was  made.  Although  no 
member  of  the  administration  was  sent  officially  to 
recognize  these  unofficial  ambassadors,  a  long  suffer 
ing  officer  of  the  navy,  with  his  wife  and  one  or  two 
other  ladies,  were  despatched  quasi-officially  to  lend 
color  to  the  occasion. 

Such  splendor  as  could  be  arranged  had  been  pro 
vided  for  the  setting  of  this  event.  A  Hungarian 
orchestra,  brought  with  these  commissioners,  dis 
coursed  its  peculiar  music  beyond  a  screen  of  palms 
and  flowers.  One  of  the  great  parlors  had  been  pre 
pared  for  those  of  the  young  who  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  to  dance.  At  the  head  of  the  little  line 
of  these  visitors,  now  themselves  in  effect  hosts, 
stood  the  old  Hungarian  general,  Zewlinski,  an  offi 
cer  over  six  feet  in  height,  with  white  hair  and  wide 
white  mustaches,  a  distinguished  figure  in  the  brilliant 
Hungarian  uniform.  Those  of  his  staff  near  by  added 

280 


IN  WASHINGTON 

additional  vividness  to  the  picture.  The  ladies  of 
the  party,  half  of  whom  spoke  English,  were  costumed 
quite  in  keeping,  and  endeavored  by  the  graciousness 
of  their  manner  to  add  to  the  good  impression  al 
ready  formed  by  their  more  brilliant  companions. 
Here  and  there  the  more  sober  uniform  of  an  Ameri 
can  army  or  navy  officer  might  have  been  seen, 
brought  thither  on  demand  of  his  lady.  The  ladies 
themselves  were  out  in  force,  and  in  their  most  bril 
liant  array.  The  doors  had  not  been  opened  for  a 
half  hour  before  all  prophecies  were  more  than  ful 
filled.  The  rooms  were  packed  with  a  struggling  mass 
of  humanity,  all  eager  to  grasp  the  hand  of  the  rep 
resentative  of  Hungary  and  of  the  members  of  his 
company.  Patriotism,  liberty,  brotherly  love  were  in 
the  speech  of  all.  Never  has  our  country  been  more 
full  of  zeal  for  liberty  than  then,  never  more  incon 
sistent,  never  more  swiftly  forgetful. 

In  these  circumstances,  the  somewhat  bewildered 
commissioners  did  what  they  could  graciously  to  dis 
cover  to  all  their  friendly  feeling  toward  this 
country.  For  more  than  an  hour  they  stood  in  line, 
bowing,  smiling,  accepting  hands,  offering  greetings, 
a  little  wondering  perhaps,  yet  none  the  less  well  as 
sured  of  the  attitude  of  this  people  toward  their  own 
country,  and  hoping  there  might  later  be  substantial 
financial  proof  of  its  sincerity. 

It  was  at  about  this  time  that  there  entered  at 
the  door  near  the  head  of  the  receiving  line  a  young 
woman,  for  the  time  apparently  quite  unattended. 

281 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

She  was  brilliantly  robed,  with  jewels  flashing  at  neck 
and  wrists,  clad  like  a  queen  and  looking  one.  Of 
good  height  and  splendid  carriage,  her  dark  hair  and 
singularly  striking  features  might  at  first  have  caused 
the  belief  that  she  was  one  of  this  party  of  for 
eigners,  toward  whom  she  now  advanced.  A  second 
glance  would  have  shown  her  beauty  to  be  of  that 
universal  world-quality  which  makes  its  owner  diffi 
cult  to  classify,  although  assured  of  approval  in  any 
quarter  of  the  world. 

That  this  lady  was  acquainted  with  social  pageants 
might  have  been  in  the  first  instant  quite  evidenced 
by  her  comportment  here.  Many  eyes  turned  toward 
her  as  she  approached  the  head  of  the  line.  She  was 
unconscious  of  all,  lazily,  half-insolently  observant,  yet 
wholly  unconcerned.  Some  observers  choked  back  a 
sudden  exclamation.  A  hush  fell  in  the  great  room, 
then  followed  a  low  buzzing  of  curious  or  interested, 
wise  or  ignorant  human  bees. 

There  were  many  in  Washington  social  circles  who 
knew  by  sight  or  by  reputation  Josephine,  Countess 
St.  Auban,  no  longer  than  six  months  ago  pronounced 
by  one  journal  of  the  capital  to  be  the  most  beautiful 
and  the  most  dangerous  woman  in  Washington.  Yet 
even  the  most  hostile  of  these  suddenly  suspended 
judgment  as  they  saw  her  advance  met  now  by  that 
of  the  old  Hungarian  general  himself.  With  the 
enthusiasm  of  a  boy  he  fell  upon  her,  both  his  hands  ex 
tended. 

"  Countess  —  my  dear  child  —  at  last  you  are 
282 


CLAD  LIKE  A   QUEEN   AND  LOOKING  ONE 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

here!"  he  exclaimed.  Taking  her  by  the  hand  he 
led  her  back  to  the  line  of  his  official  company,  vol 
leying  rapid  exclamations  in  his  native  tongue. 
Eager  groups  fell  into  line  near  at  hand,  seeking  to 
know  what  was  toward. 

"You  left  us!"  at  length  exclaimed  the  old  gen 
eral,  politely  speaking  in  his  best  English,  since  these 
others  were  thus  bound  to  hear.  "  Where  you  had 
gone  we  did  not  know.  It  was  as  though  the  heavens 
had  opened.  See  then,  Sir, "--he  addressed  the 
naval  officer  who  stood  near  at  hand  -  "  the  Countess 
St.  Auban  was  one  of  the  most  important  members  of 
our  little  company  —  she  was  to  come  in  advance  of 
us,  who  also  are  in  advance  of  a  greater  number. 
For  a  time  we  heard  from  her,  then  all  was  silent ! 
She  had  disappeared !  —  But  now,  at  last,  my  dear 
Countess,  you  are  here!  We  shall  succeed,  it  is  cer 
tain;  henceforth  you  will  be  of  our  party.  Is  it  not 
true?" 

Political,  social  and  journalistic  Washington  then 
and  there  begged  a  sudden  though  silent  pardon  of 
the  Countess  St.  Auban.  A  few  journalists  left  the 
room  quickly.  An  attache  of  the  Austrian  legation 
also  hurriedly  took  his  leave. 

"But  where  have  you  been,  my  dear?"  again  de 
manded  General  Zewlinski,  his  hand  again  affection 
ately  grasping  that  of  Josephine  St.  Auban.  "  We 
have  so  missed  you." 

"  I  have  been  visiting  some  of  the  more  remote 
parts  of  this  country,"  replied  she  in  even  tones. 

284 


IN  WASHINGTON 

"  So,  then,  you  have  not  forgotten  our  mission 
from  Hungary !  Well,  now  we  shall  surely  have  the 
invitation  for  our  Kossuth  to  come?  Is  it  not 
true?" 

"  Assuredly,  my  dear  General.  You  will  find  this 
country  eager  to  meet  him.  But  alas!  I  fear  that 
Kossuth  himself  will  find  problems  also  in  this 
country." 

"Our  own  problem  —  our  cause,  dear  Countess?" 

"  Pardon,  General,  really  it  is  also  the  cause  of 
this  country.  We  think  that  in  Hungary  democracy 
is  in  peril.  It  is  not  less  so  here." 

"  But,  my  dear  child,  you  would  not  cast  doubt  upon 
our  plans, —  you  have  not  become  lukewarm  to  our 
cause  so  soon,  my  dear?" 

"  No,  no,  General.  But  Europe  does  not  under 
stand  America.  America  does  not  understand  her 
self.  I  ask  only  that  the  great  men  of  that  country 
shall  see  the  great  problems  of  this.  There  we  could 
win  freedom  by  sword  and  gun.  Here  also  that  must 
yet  be  done.  The  time  for  such  means  has  not  yet 
arrived.  Yet  here  also  evil  cries  aloud.  Soon  war 
must  come,  here  also  —  bloody  war.  We  ask  funds 
for  Hungary.  America  soon  will  need  funds  for  her 
self." 

"  Ah,  you  mean  this  problem  of  the  North  and 
South  —  of  slavery."  The  face  of  the  old  general 
became  grave.  "  I  have  talked  with  many,"  said  he. 
"  It  seems  incapable  of  solution.  But  have  not  your 
brilliant  faculties,  my  dear  Countess,  suggested  any 

285 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

solution?  We  learned  to  value  your  counsel  over 
yonder." 

"  What  could  a  mere  woman  do  in  a  matter  vast  as 
this?  My  General,  not  all  the  wisdom  of  this 
country  has  suggested  a  remedy.  I  am  but  a  woman 
and  not  wise.  He  who  attempts  to  solve  this  slavery 
question  must  do  what  no  statesman  in  all  history  has 
been  able  to  do,  what  human  wisdom  here  has  failed 
to  do  for  fifty  years  or  more.  America  has  spent 
thirty  years  of  statesmanship  on  this  one  question, 
and  is  just  where  it  started.  This  country,  as  Thomas 
Jefferson  said  so  long  ago,  still  has  the  wolf  by  the 
ear,  but  has  not  killed  it  and  dare  not  let  it  go.  Out 
there  —  where  I  have  been  —  in  the  West  —  there 
the  new  battle  must  be  fought.  Now,  my  General, 
what  difference,  whether  America  shall  help  Europe, 
or  Europe  shall  help  America?  The  battle  for 
democracy  must  be  fought,  in  this  generation,  per 
haps  again  in  the  next.  What  would  be  the  result  of 
that  war,  if  either  section  won  to  the  destruction  of 
this  Union?  Ah!  there,  my  General,  is  the  danger 
to  Hungary,  the  danger  to  Europe,  to  the  cause  of 
freedom  and  humanity.  As  I  said,  Kossuth  will  find 
things  here  to  engage  his  best  attention." 

"  I  know  your  generosity,"  said  Zewlinski,  swiftly 
leading  her  apart  and  gazing  her  straight  in  the  face 
as  he  spoke,  in  low  tones  none  else  might  hear.  "  I 
know  how  you  got  your  estates  yonder  —  how  wide 
handed  you  have  been  with  your  revenues.  I  know 
your  strange,  unhappy  life,  my  dear.  But  have  a 

286 


IN  WASHINGTON 

care.  Do  not  make  that  life  more  unhappy.  Do  not 
let  your  penitence,  your  devotion,  your  self-abnega 
tion,  carry  you  too  far.  Listen;  times  are  very 
troublous  abroad.  The  nations  are  banding  against 
us  —  even  France.  He  who  gives  may  take.  Let  me 
tell  you,  be  careful.  Do  not  involve  yourself.  Do 
not  jeopardize  the  good  will  of  Louis  Napoleon.  Do 
not  let  your  warm  heart  endanger  your  own  good  for 
tune." 

She  laughed  almost  gaily.  "  You  suggest  an  idea, 
my  General !  "  she  said.  "  I  still  am  rich.  Since  I 
advocate  a  measure,  why  should  I  not  enforce  it  to 
the  best  of  my  ability  ?  Let  Louis  Napoleon  do  as  he 
likes  with  the  widow  of  a  man  he  murdered!  Bring 
over  our  friend  Louis  Kossuth,  General,  as  soon  as 
you  like !  Meantime,  I  shall  be  busy  here,  seeking  to 
set  on  foot  certain  little  plans  of  my  own." 

"  My  child,  you  will  be  lost !  Forget  these  mat 
ters.  Come  back  with  us  to  our  own  country.  You 
are  young,  you  are  beautiful.  You  are  a  woman. 
As  a  patriot  we  love  you,  but  you  are  a  woman,  and 
we  would  not  rob  you  of  your  life.  You  are  young. 
You  did  not  love  old  St.  Auban,  who  took  you  from 
your  American  mother.  You  did  not  love  him  — 
but  you  will  love  some  other  —  some  young,  strong 
man.  Many  have  sought  your  hand,  my  dear." 

"You  call  me  a  lost  child,  General?  Ah,  you  re 
member  the  term !  At  many  battles  there  is  what  is 
known  as  the  forlorn  hope  —  those  whom  the  French 
call  Les  cnfants  pcrdus  —  The  Lost  Children.  Per- 

287 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

haps  they  perish.  But  at  the  next  battle,  at  the 
crucial  time,  they  rise  again  from  the  dead.  Always 
there  is  the  band  of  the  Lost  Children,  ready  to  do 
what  must  be  done.  And  always,  at  the  last  moment, 
are  battles  won  by  those  who  remain  devoted,  what 
ever  be  the  cause." 

Zewlinski  nodded  his  gray  head  gravely.  "  It  was 
thus  my  own  sons  died  in  battle,"  said  he.  "  It  was 
as  I  would  have  had  it.  But  you  —  you  are  a  woman  ! 
These  things  are  not  for  you." 

"  See,"  she  interrupted,  gently  tapping  his  arm 
with  her  fan.  "  We  must  not  be  too  much  apart. 
Let  us  return." 

As  they  turned  back  toward  the  head  of  the  line, 
Josephine  gave  a  half-exclamation.  Two  figures  were 
approaching,  each  of  which  seemed  to  her  familiar. 
An  instant  later  she  had  recognized  the  young  north 
ern  officer,  Carlisle,  whom  she  had  met  under  such 
singular  conditions.  With  him  stalked  the  tall  young 
German,  Kammerer.  Their  eyes  lighted  suddenly,  as 
they  fell  upon  her,  and  both  advanced  eagerly.  There 
was  new  dignity  in  her  carriage  now,  but  she  greeted 
them  warmly. 

"  When  we  may,  I  shall  hope  to  compare  notes 
with  you,"  she  smiled.  "  You  are  still  on  parole  to 
me." 

"  But  you,  Madam  —  you  seem  differently  situated 
here.  I  am  very  glad  to  find  it  so."  Carlisle  was 
eager,  flushed,  frankly  admiring. 

"  Yes,  I  scarce  know  which  side  the  sea  I  belong. 
288 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

You  know,  I  am  half  American,  though  my  people 
lived  abroad,  in  diplomatic  work.  By  President  Tay 
lor  I  was  chosen  as  one  of  the  members  of  the  Hun 
garian  commission  sent  over  by  America  to  look  into 
the  cause  of  Hungary.  In  return,  last  year  I  had  the 
honor  of  being  asked  to  come  to  this  country  as  one 
of  the  commission  despatched  to  America  in  the  in 
terest  of  Hungary.  I  came  over  a  certain  time  in 
advance,  for  reasons  of  my  own.  Meantime,  I  have 
had,  it  seems  —  well,  call  them  adventures !  I  am 
not  eager  they  should  be  known  here.  But  if  you  like, 
you  may  call  on  me  at  my  hotel  —  to-morrow?  " 

Both  recognized  a  slight  additional  trace  of 
hauteur  in  the  deportment  of  the  woman  whom  they 
now  accosted.  She  herself  saw  a  sort  of  hesitation 
on  the  part  of  Carlisle. 

"  I  can't  let  you  make  any  mistake  about  me,"  he 
began  presently. 

"  How  do  you  mean?  " 

"  You  are  probably  not  advised  about  me.  I'm  a 
person  of  no  consequence." 

"  An  officer  of  his  country's  army  can  not  say  that 
of  himself." 

"  But,  I  am  no  longer  an  officer  of  any  army.  I 
have  been  court-martialed  —  for  my  conduct  there 
-  you  know  —  that  fight  at  St.  Genevieve.  My 
abolitionist  tendencies  have  always  made  me  persona 
non  grata  in  my  own  mess.  There's  been  all  sort  of 
pressure  brought  on  me  to  drop  it.  Now  the  govern 
ment  itself,  not  wishing  these  things  to  come  to  a 

290 


IN  WASHINGTON 

focus,  has  ordered  me  to  a  court-martial.  Very  well, 
I've  been  sentenced.  My  parole  is  ended,  for  the  law 
has  acted  on  my  conduct.  Rather  than  go  back  many 
steps  in  rank,  I  have  thrown  up  my  commission. 
This  morning  I  resigned.  I  am  wearing  my  uniform, 
I  don't  doubt,  for  the  last  time." 

"  And  that,  although  you  fought  in  the  cause  of 
freedom !  Although  you  have  fought  honorably  in  an 
earlier  war !  Is  it  not  horrible !  " 

"  I  could  not  do  otherwise,"  said  he  simply.  "  I 
have  no  regrets." 

"But  don't  you  see, "--she  turned  upon  him  sud 
denly  -  "  it  only  leaves  you  all  the  more  free !  " 

"  I  can  not  understand  you." 

"  Will  it  not  give  you  and  your  friend,  Lieutenant 
Kammerer  here,  precisely  the  opportunity  you've 
wished  ?  " 

"  Still  I  do  not  follow  you." 

"  My  dear  Countess,"  ventured  the  German,  "  I'll 
go  anywhere  under  your  orders.  You  may  be  sure 
of  that." 

She  turned  from  them.  "  Come  to  my  hotel,  will 
you  not,  to-morrow?  I  may  have  something  to  say 
to  you."  Thus  she  passed  back  into  the  throng,  and 
into  the  arms  of  fickle  and  repentant  Washington, 
which  marveled  when  she  danced,  flushed,  excited,  yet 
absorbed,  with  the  gallant  old  general,  himself  in 
toxicated  by  the  music  and  by  all  this  warm  talk  of 
freedom,  of  equality,  of  democracy, —  in  Washing 
ton! 

291 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

IN    THE    NAME    OF    ALTRUISM 

IN  her  apartments  at  the  hotel  the  following  morn 
ing  Josephine  St.  Auban  looked  over  the  journals 
of  the  day.  There  were  many  columns  of  description 
of  the  only  social  event  of  the  previous  day  thought 
worth  extended  mention.  The  visitors  from  Hun 
gary  were  lauded  to  the  skies.  There  did  not  lack 
many  references  to  the  similarity  between  the  present 
struggles  of  the  Hungarian  people  and  those  of  our 
own  earlier  days.  A  vast  amount  of  rampant  Ameri 
canism  was  crowded  into  all  these  matters. 

Joined  to  this,  there  was  considerable  mention  of 
the  reappearance  in  Washington  society  of  the  beauti 
ful  Countess,  Josephine  St.  Auban,  now  discovered  to 
have  been  originally  a  member  of  this  Hungarian 
commission,  and  recently  journeying  in  the  western 
states  of  the  republic.  This  beautiful  countess  was 
now  invested  with  a  romantic  history.  She  was  a 
friend  and  protegee  of  the  old  General  Zewlinski,  a 
foreign  noblewoman  half  American  by  birth,  of  rank, 
wealth  and  distinction,  who  had  taken  a  leading  part 
in  the  cause  of  Hungary  in  her  struggle  with  the  op 
pressing  monarchies.  Without  any  reference  to 

292 


SHE  LOOKED   OVER   THE   JOURNALS   OF  THE  DAY 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

earlier  stories  not  unknown  to  them,  and  bolder  as 
to  Austria  than  those  who  then  dwelt  in  the  White 
House,  the  newspapers  now  openly  and  unanswer 
ably  welcomed  this  distinguished  stranger  to  the  heart 
of  Washington,  Unknowingly,  when  they  gave  her 
this  publicity,  they  threw  around  her  also  protection, 
secrecy.  As  she  read,  the  Countess  St.  Auban  smiled. 
She  knew  that  now  there  would  be  no  second 
vehmgerichte.  The  government  now  would  not  dare ! 

What  interested  her  more  was  the  story  at  that 
time  made  current,  of  an  unsuccessful  attempt  which 
had  been  made  by  a  southern  slave  owner  to  reclaim 
his  property  in  a  northern  state.  The  facts  recounted 
that  a  planter  of  Maryland,  with  two  relatives,  had 
followed  an  escaped  slave  to  the  settlement  of  Chris- 
tianville,  Pennsylvania,  where  a  little  colony  of  fugi 
tives  had  made  common  cause  together.  In  this  case, 
as  was  prescribed  under  the  law,  the  slave  owner  had 
called  to  his  aid  a  United  States  marshal,  who  in 
turn  had  summoned  a  large  posse  of  his  own.  These 
had  visited  the  home  of  the  fugitive  and  called  upon 
him  to  surrender  himself  to  his  owner.  This  the 
fugitive  had  refused  to  do,  and  he  was  backed  in  this 
refusal  by  a  considerable  party  of  men  of  his  own  race, 
some  of  them  free  men,  and  some  fugitive  slaves,  who 
had  assembled  at  his  house. 

"  I'll  have  my  property,"  asserted  the  slave  owner, 
according  to  the  report,  "  or  I'll  eat  my  breakfast  in 
hell."  One  of  the  Marylanders  had  then  fired  upon 
the  slave,  and  the  fire  was  returned  in  general  by  the 

294 


IN  THE  NAME  OF  ALTRUISM 

negroes.  The  old  planter,  a  man  of  courage,  was 
struck  to  the  ground,  killed  by  the  blacks,  his  two 
relatives  disabled,  and  several  other  men  on  both  sides 
were  wounded.  The  fugitive  himself  was  not  taken, 
and  the  arresting  party  was  obliged  to  retire. 
Naturally,  great  exultation  prevailed  among  the  tri 
umphant  blacks ;  and  this,  so  said  numerous  despatches, 
was  fostered  and  encouraged  by  comment  of  all  the 
northern  abolitionist  press. 

Josephine  St.  Auban  pondered  over  this  barbarous 
recountal  of  an  event  which  would  seem  to  have  been 
impossible  in  a  civilized  community.  "  It  comes," 
said  she,  musing,  "  it  comes!  £a  ira!  There  will  be 
war!  Ah,  I  must  hasten." 

She  turned  to  other  papers,  of  private  nature,  in 
her  desk.  In  a  half  hour  more,  she  had  gone  over  the 
last  remittance  reports  of  the  agents  of  her  estates  in 
Europe.  She  smiled,  nodded,  as  she  tapped  a  pencil 
over  the  very  handsome  totals.  In  ten  minutes  more, 
she  was  ready  and  awaiting  the  call  of  Carlisle  and 
Kammerer  in  her  reception-room.  In  her  mind  was 
a  plan  already  formulated. 

At  heart  frank  and  impulsive,  and  now  full  of  a  defi 
nite  zeal,  she  did  not  long  keep  them  waiting  to  learn 
her  mind. 

"  Are  you  still  for  the  cause  of  freedom,  and  can 
you  keep  a  secret,  or  aid  in  one?  "  she  broke  in  sud 
denly,  turning  toward  Carlisle.  Looking  at  him  at 
first  for  a  time,  inscrutably,  as  though  half  in  amuse 
ment  or  in  recollection,  she  now  regarded  him  care- 

295 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

fully  for  an  instant,  apparently  weighing  his  make-up, 
estimating  his  sincerity,  mentally  investigating  his 
character,  looking  at  the  flame  of  his  hair,  the  fanatic 
fire  of  his  deep  set  eye. 

"  I  have  sometimes  done  so,"  he  smiled.  "  Is 
there  anything  in  which  I  can  be  of  service?  " 

"  Time  is  short,"  was  her  answer.  "  Let  us  get 
at  once  to  the  point.  I  am  planning  to  go  into  the 
work  long  carried  on  by  that  weak-minded  Coloniza 
tion  Society;  but  on  certain  lines  of  my  own." 

"  Explain,  Countess !  " 

"It  is  my  belief  that  we  should  deport  the  blacks 
from  this  country.  Very  well,  I  am  willing  to  de 
vote  certain  moneys  and  certain  energies  to  that  pur 
pose.  Granted  I  found  it  advisable  and  could  obtain 
proper  support,  I  might  perhaps  not  return  to  Hungary 
for  a  time." 

"  Kammerer !  "  broke  in  Carlisle  suddenly.  "  Lis 
ten!  Do  you  hear?  It's  what  we've  said!  It  is  pre 
cisely  what  you  yourself  have  always  said." 

"  That  iss  it !  —  that  iss  it !  "  exclaimed  the  young 
German.  "  The  colonization  —  remoof  them  from 
this  country  to  another,  where  they  shall  be  by  them 
selves.  That  only  iss  wise,  yess.  Elsewise  must 
great  war  come  —  else  must  this  Union  be  lost !  Ah, 
Madam ;  ah,  Madam !  How  great  your  heart,  your 
mind.  I  kiss  your  hand." 

"  Listen !  "  she  interrupted.  "  There  are  about 
three  and  one-third  millions  of  them  now.  Say  they 
are  worth,  old  and  young,  large  and  little,  one  thou- 

296 


IN  THE  NAME  OF  ALTRUISM 

sand  dollars  a  head  —  monstrous  thing,  to  put  a  price 
upon  a  human  head,  but  suppose  it.  It  would  amount 
to  but  a  few  billions  of  dollars.  What  would  a  war 
cost  between  these  two  sections?  Perhaps  a  million 
dollars  a  day !  How  much  cheaper  could  these  slaves 
be  purchased  and  deported  from  these  shores!  Their 
owners  regard  them  as  property.  The  laws  protect 
that  belief.  The  Constitution  establishes  the  laws. 
There  is  no  peaceful  way  to  end  the  turmoil,  save  by 
the  purchase  of  these  people.  That  is  a  solution.  It 
will  prevent  a  war.  Let  them  be  sent  away  to  a  place 
where  they  belong,  rather  than  here." 

"  My  dear  Countess,"  said  Carlisle,  "  you  are,  as 
usual,  brilliant.  Your  imagination  vaults  —  your  dar 
ing  is  splendid.  But  as  usual  you  are  visionary  and 
impractical.  Buy  them?  To  do  this  would  require 
the  credit  of  a  nation !  It  would  be  subversive  of  all 
peace  and  all  industry.  You  do  not  realize  the  sums 
required.  You  do  not  realize  how  vast  are  the  com 
plications." 

She  stepped  closer  to  him  in  her  eagerness. 

"  All  it  needs  is  money,  and  management.  A  start, 
and  the  country  will  follow.  Mr.  Fillmore  himself  was 
about  to  recommend  it,  in  his  last  message.  Let  me 
furnish  the  money,  and  do  you  attend  to  the  com 
plications." 

Carlisle  rubbed  his  chin  thoughtfully.  "  It's  beauti 
ful;  it  may  be  wise,  but  it's  impossible.  It  would  take 
a  king's  credit." 

"  At  least  we  might  begin  with  such  funds  as  are 
297 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

already  at  hand,"  smiled  the  Countess  St.  Auban.  "  It 
might  be  difficult  ?  I  suppose  the  building  of  the  pyra 
mids  was  difficult.  Yet  they  were  begun.  Yet  they 
are  finished.  Yet  they  stand,  complete,  to-day." 

"  It  is  hardly  for  me  to  advise  in  a  case  so  grave 
as  that,"  said  Carlisle.  "  I  should  not  undertake  it. 
Have  you  really  considered?" 

"  I  have  often  followed  over  the  same  old  course 
of  reasoning,  South  against  North,"  she  said,  smiling 
at  him.  "  Come  now,  a  revolutionist  and  two  aboli 
tionists  should  do  much.  You  still  can  fight,  though 
they  have  taken  away  your  sword." 

"  Some  say  that  the  courts  will  settle  these  mooted 
points,"  Carlisle  went  on ;  "  others,  that  Congress 
must  do  so.  Yet  others  are  unwilling  that  even  the 
courts  should  take  it  up,  and  insist  that  the  Constitu 
tion  is  clear  and  explicit  already.  These  Southerners 
say  that  Congress  should  make  an  end  to  it,  by  spe 
cifically  declaring  that  men  have  a  right  to  take  into 
any  new  country  what  they  lawfully  own  —  that  is  to 
say,  these  slaves ;  because  that  territory  was  bought 
in  common  by  North  and  South.  The  South  is  just  as 
honest  and  sincere  as  the  North  is,  and  to  be  fair  about 
it,  I  don't  believe  it's  right  to  claim  that  the  South 
wants  the  Union  destroyed.  A  few  hotheads  talk  of 
that  in  South  Carolina,  in  Mississippi,  but  that  is  pre 
cisely  what  the  sober  judgment  of  the  South  doesn't 
desire.  Let  us  match  those  secessionists  against  the 
abolitionists,"  he  grinned.  "  The  first  think  they  have 
law  back  of  them.  The  latter  know  they  have  none !  " 

298 


IN  THE  NAME  OF  ALTRUISM 

"  No,"  she  said,  "  only  the  higher  law,  that  of  human 
democracy.  No, —  we've  nothing  concrete  —  except 
Lily!" 

"  Yes,  but  let  me  argue  you  out  of  this,  Countess. 
Really,  I  can  see  no  just  reason  why  the  proud  and 
prosperous  North  should  wish  to  destroy  the  proud 
and  prosperous  South.  If  the  South  remains  in  the 
Union  it  must  be  considered  a  part  of  the  Union. 
New  England  did  not  believe  in  taxation  without 
representation.  Ought  it  to  enforce  that  doctrine  on 
the  South?" 

"  You  argue  it  very  well,  Sir,  as  well  as  any  one 
can.  The  only  trouble  is  that  you  are  not  convinced, 
and  you  do  not  convince.  You  are  trying  to  protect 
me,  that's  all.  I  have  no  answer  —  except  Lily ! 
There  are  some  things  in  the  analysis  from  which  you 
shrink.  Isn't  it  true  ?  " 

;<  Yes,  altogether  true.  We  always  come  back  to 
the  bitter  and  brutal  part  of  slavery.  But  what  are 
we  going  to  do  for  remedy  ?  Anarchy  doesn't  suggest 
remedy.  For  my  own  part,  sometimes  I  think  that 
Millard  Fillmore's  idea  was  right  —  that  the  govern 
ment  should  buy  these  slaves  and  deport  them.  That 
would  be,  as  you  say,  far  cheaper  than  a  war.  It  was 
the  North  that  originally  sold  most  of  the  slaves.  If 
they,  the  South,  as  half  the  country,  are  willing  to 
pay  back  their  half  of  the  purchase  price,  ought  not 
the  North  to  be  satisfied  with  that?  That's  putting 
principles  to  the  hardest  test  —  that  of  the  pocket." 

In  his  excitement  he  rose  and  strode  about  the 
299 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

room,  his  face  frowning,  his  slender  figure  erect, 
martial  even  in  its  civilian  dress.  Presently  he  turned ; 
"  But  it  is  noble  of  you,  magnificent,  to  think  of  doing 
what  a  government  hesitates  to  do !  And  a  woman !  " 

''Could  it  be  done?"  she  demanded.  "  It  would 
require  much  money.  But  what  a  noble  solution  it 
would  be !  " 

"  Precisely.  I  rejoice  to  see  that  your  mind  is  so 
singularly  clear  although  your  heart  is  so  kind." 

"  You  speak  in  the  voice  of  New  England." 

"  Yes,  yes,  I'm  a  New  Englander.  She's  glorious 
in  her  principles,  New  England,  but  she  carries  her 
principles  in  her  pocket !  I  admire  your  proposed 
solution,  but  that  solution  I  fear  you  will  never  see. 
It  is  the  fatal  test,  that  of  the  pocket."  But  the  idea 
had  hold  of  him,  and  would  not  let  him  go.  He 
walked  up  and  down,  excited,  still  arguing  against  it. 

"  The  South,  frankly,  has  always  been  juggled  out 
of  its  rights,  all  along  the  line  —  through  pocket  poli 
tics —  and  I'm  not  sure  how  much  more  it  can  endure 
of  the  same  sort  of  juggling.  Why,  John  Quincy 
Adams  himself,  Northerner  that  he  was,  admitted  that 
Missouri  had  the  right  to  come  in  as  a  slave  state, 
just  as  much  as  had  Arkansas  and  Louisiana.  Pocket- 
politics  allowed  Congress  to  trade  all  of  the  Louisiana 
Purchase  south  of  thirty-six  degrees,  thirty  minutes, 
excepting  Arkansas,  in  exchange  for  the  Floridas  — 
and  how  much  chance,  how  much  lot  and  part  had  the 
Missourians  in  a  country  so  far  away  as  Florida? 
The  South  led  us  to  war  with  Mexico  in  order  to  ex- 

300 


IN  THE  NAME  OF  ALTRUISM 

tend  our  territory,  but  what  did  the  South  get?  The 
North  gets  all  the  great  commercial  and  industrial 
rights.  Just  to  be  frank  and  fair  about  it,  although 
I  am  a  New  Englander  and  don't  believe  in  slavery,  the 
truth  is,  the  South  has  paid  its  share  in  blood  and  risk 
and  money,  but  it  didn't  get  its  share  when  it  came  to 
the  divide;  and  it  never  has." 

"  Precisely,  my  dear  Captain.  I  delight  to  see  you 
so  broad-minded  and  fair.  This  plan  of  mine,  to 
have  any  success,  must  be  carried  out  on  lines  broad- 
minded  and  fair." 

"But  how  adjust  pocket  interests  on  both  sides? 
You'll  see.  You'll  be  left  alone.  It  is  easier  to  make 
a  speech  for  liberty  than  it  is  to  put  the  price  of  one 
slave  in  the  hat  passed  for  liberty.  New  England, 
all  the  North,  will  talk,  will  hold  mass  meetings,  will 
pass  resolutions  commending  resistance  to  the  law  - 
like  this  Christianville  incident  of  which  there's  news 
this  morning.  You'll  see  the  blacks  commended  for 
that.  But  you  won't  see  much  money  raised  to  keep 
other  blacks  from  being  followed  by  their  owners." 

"  Then  leave  it  for  those  who  see  duty  in  more 
concrete  form.  Leave  the  cost  to  me.  My  only  an 
swer  is  —  Lily." 

And  again  and  again  her  only  answer  to  them  both 
was  —  Lily.  She  told  them  her  story,  produced  the 
girl  herself  and  made  her  confirm  it,  offered  her  as 
concrete  example  to  be  presented  in  a  platform  cam 
paign  which  might  not  end  in  talk  alone  —  pleaded, 
argued,  and  won. 

301 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Madam,  I,  too,  kiss  your  hands,"  said  Carlisle  at 
last;  and  did  so. 

An  hour  after  that,  she  had  laid  out  a  campaign 
for  her  two  agents,  and  had  arranged  for  the  expendi 
ture  of  an  initial  hundred  thousand  dollars. 


302 


CHAPTER  XXV 

THE    ARTFUL    GENTLEMAN    FROM    KENTUCKY 

IT  was  dusk.  Heavy  shadows  lay  over  the  trees 
which  lined  the  curving  walks  leading  across  a 
little  park  to  the  stately  white  house  beyond.  From 
that  direction  now  appeared  several  gentlemen,  ad 
vancing  in  scattering  groups.  They  might  almost 
have  been  made  up  of  conspirators,  so  intent  they 
seemed,  so  apprehensive  lest  even  their  thoughts  might 
be  read.  Two  of  them  drew  apart, —  one  of  these 
a  slender  bony  man,  the  other  a  tall  and  dark  man. 
The  latter  spoke  almost  moodily. 

"  I  doubt  your  ability,  my  dear  sir,  to  influence  so 
shrewd  a  man  in  any  such  way  as  you  suggest.  Be 
sides,  he  is  not  of  our  party." 

'  That's  all  the  better.  A  man  of  our  party  might, 
could,  would  and  should  keep  his  mouth  shut  about 
such  a  ticklish  matter ;  but  outside  our  party,  any  who 
begins  it  has  got  to  keep  his  mouth  shut!  " 

'  There  is  no  other  way,"  he  added,  smiling.  "  It 
must  be  done.  The  Countess  St.  Auban  is  here  again ! 
This  band  of  Gipsy  heathens  from  Hungary  is  also 
here.  The  country  is  wild  over  Kossuth.  We'll 
have  to  accept  this  invitation  to  invite  him!  But 

303 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Austria  remains  bitter  against  the  countess.  What 
we  must  do  is  to  have  her  go  back  home  with  these 
commissioners  from  Hungary.  There's  ugly  talk 
about  the  way  she's  been  used.  That  fellow  Carlisle 
—  good  riddance  of  him  from  the  army  —  even  con 
fessed  he  engaged  in  a  game  of  cards  —  "  their  heads 
bent  together  — "  in  short,  the  devil  is  to  pay  with 
the  administration  if  this  gets  out.  We  can't  banish 
her  again.  But  how  can  we  with  dignity  even  it  with 
her,  so  she  will  make  no  talk?  If  she  likes,  she  can 
ruin  us,  because  Carlisle  can't  be  kept  silent,  now  he's 
out  of  the  army.  And  he's  crazy  over  her,  anyhow." 

"  So  ?     I  do  not  blame  him.  " 

"  Yes.  Therefore,  since  all  of  us  have  lacked  wis 
dom  in  our  own  camp,  we'd  e'en  do  well  to  take  wis 
dom  where  we  can  find  it." 

They  parted,  the  last  speaker  presently  to  hail  the 
nearest  carriage.  The  driver  a  few  moments  later 
drew  up  at  the  front  of  a  spacious  and  dignified  brick 
building,  whose  reserved  look  might  have  pronounced 
it  a  private  hotel  or  a  club  for  gentlemen.  The  visitor 
seemed  known,  the  door  swinging  open  for  him. 

"  Louis,"  said  he  to  the  attendant,  "  is  Mr.  - 
in  ?  "     He  mentioned  a  name  which  even  then  was  well 
known  in  Washington. 

"  I  think  you  will  find  him  in  the  reading-room, 
Sir,"  was  the  answer. 

The  inquirer  passed  to  the  right,  entering  a  wide 
room  with  tables,  books,  heavy  chairs,  discreetly  shaded 
lamps.  At  one  table,  drawn  close  to  the  light  and 

304 


THEY   PARTED,   THE   LAST   SPEAKER   HAILING   A   CARRIAGE 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

poring  over  a  printed  page,  sat  a  gentleman  whose 
personality  was  not  without  distinction.  The  gray 
hair  brushed  back  from  a  heightening  forehead  might 
have  proclaimed  him  even  beyond  middle  age,  and  his 
stature,  of  about  medium  height,  acknowledged  easy 
living  in  its  generous  habit.  The  stock  and  cravat 
of  an  earlier  day  gave  a  certain  austerity  to  the  shrewd 
face,  lighted  by  a  pair  of  keen  gray  eyes,  which  now 
turned  to  greet  the  new-comer.  He  rose,  and  both 
bowed  formally  before  they  advanced  to  take  each 
other  by  the  hand.  They  were  acquaintances,  if  not 
intimate  friends.  Evidently  this  particular  club  no 
more  enlisted  its  members  from  this  or  that  political 
party  than  did  either  of  the  leading  parties  call  upon 
any  certain  section  for  their  membership. 

"  I  am  fortunate  to  find  you  here  in  Washington, 
my  dear  Sir,"  began  the  gentleman  from  Kentucky. 
"  It  is  something  of  a  surprise." 

The  wrinkles  about  the  other's  eyes  deepened  in  an 
affable  smile.  "  True,"  said  he,  "  in  the  last  twelve 
years  I  have  three  times  sought  to  get  back  into  Wash 
ington!  Perhaps  it  would  have  been  more  seemly  for 
me  to  remain  in  the  decreed  dignified  retirement." 

They  joined  in  a  laugh  at  this,  as  they  both  drew 
up  chairs  at  the  table  side. 

"  You  see,"  resumed  the  last  speaker,  "  I  am  not 
indeed  intruding  here  in  national  affairs,  but  only 
choose  Washington  for  to-night.  I  have  been  think 
ing  of  a  pleasure  journey  into  the  West,  down  the 
Ohio  River—" 

306 


THE  ARTFUL  GENTLEMAN 

"Will  you  have  snuff?"  began  his  companion. 
"  This  is  no  import,  I  assure  you,  but  is  made  by  one 
of  my  old  darkeys,  on  my  plantation  in  Kentucky.  He 
declares  he  puts  nothing  into  it  but  straight  leaf." 

"  My  soul !  "  exclaimed  the  other,  sneezing  violently. 
"  I  suspect  the  veracity  of  your  darkey.  It  is  red 
pepper  that  he  uses !  " 

"  All  the  better,  then,  to  clear  our  minds,  my  dear 
Sir.  But  let  me  first  send  for  another  product  of  my 
state,  to  assuage  these  pains."  He  beckoned  to  a  serv 
ant,  who  presently  returned  with  tray  and  glasses. 

"  And  now,"  he  resumed,  "  what  you  say  of  your 
journey  interests  me  immensely.  No  doubt  you  pro 
pose  going  clown  the  river  as  far  as  Missouri?  The 
interest  of  the  entire  country  is  focused  there  to-day. 
Ah,  yonder  is  the  crux  of  all  our  compromise !  Safe 
within  the  fold  herself,  that  is  to  say  above  the  fatal 
line  of  thirty-six  degrees,  thirty  minutes,  her  case  is 
simply  irresistible  in  interest  to-day,  both  for  those 
who  argue  for  and  those  who  talk  against  the  exten 
sion  of  slavery  into  our  other  territories.'" 

"  Yet    your    administration,    to-day,    my   dear    Sir, 
calls  this  '  finality.'     Believe  me,  it  is  no  more  than  a 
compromise  with  truth  and  justice!     The  entire  North 
demands  that  slavery  shall  halt." 
'  The  entire  South  refuses  it !  " 

"  Then  let  the  South  beware !  " 

"  The  North  also  may  beware,  my  dear  Sir !  " 

"  We  are  aware,  and  we  are  prepared.  Not  another 
inch  for  slavery !  " 

307 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Hush !  "  said  the  other,  raising  a  hand.  "  Not 
even  you  and  I  dare  go  into  this.  The  old  quarrel 
is  lulled  for  a  time.  At  last  we  have  worked  these 
measures  through  both  the  House  and  Senate.  In  the 
House  the  administration  can  put  through  at  any  time 
the  Wilmot  proviso  prohibiting  slavery,  and  although 
the  Senate  always  has  and  always  can  defeat  such  a 
measure,  both  branches,  and  the  executive  as  well, 
have  agreed  to  put  this  dog  to  sleep  when  possible, 
and  when  found  sleeping,  to  let  him  lie.  My  dear 
friend,  it  is  not  a  question  of  principle,  but  of  policy, 
to-day." 

"  Principles  should  rule  policies !  "  exclaimed  the 
other  virtuously. 

"  Agreed !  Agreed !  We  are  perfectly  at  one  as 
to  that.  But  you  know  that  Webster  himself  re 
iterates  again  and  again  that  no  man  should  set  up  his 
conscience  above  the  law  of  his  country.  Your  Free 
Soil  party  means  not  law,  but  anarchy, —  and  worse 
than  that  —  it  means  disunion !  Clay,  Cass,  Webster, 
Benton,  even  the  hottest  of  the  men  from  Mississippi 
and  South  Carolina,  are  agreed  on  that.  My  dear 
Sir,  I  say  it  with  solemn  conviction,  the  formation  of 
a  new  party  of  discontent  to-day,  when  everything 
is  already  strained  to  breaking,  will  split  this  country 
and  plunge  the  divided  sections  into  a  bloody  war !  " 

The  other  sat  gravely  for  a  time  before  he  made 
reply.  "  Our  people  feel  too  sternly  to  be  reconciled. 
We  need  some  new  party  - 

Again  the  other  raised  a  warning  hand.     "  Do  not 
308 


THE  ARTFUL  GENTLEMAN 

say  that  word!  Others  have  principles  as  much  as 
you  and  I.  Let  us  not  speak  with  recklessness  of  con 
sequences.  But,  privately,  and  without  hot  argument, 
my  dear  friend,  the  singular  thing  to  me  is  that  you, 
an  old  leader  of  the  people,  with  a  wide  following  in 
the  North  and  South,  should  now  he  entertaining  pre 
cisely  the  same  principles  —  though  not  expressing 
them  with  the  same  reckless  fervor  —  which  are  ad 
vanced  by  the  latest  and  most  dangerous  abolitionist 
of  the  time." 

"  You  do  not  mean  Mr.  Garrison  ?  Any  of  my 
New  York  or  Boston  friends  ?  " 

"  No,  I  mean  a  woman,  here  in  Washington.  You 
could  perhaps  guess  her  name." 

The  other  drew  his  chair  closer.  "  I  presume  you 
mean  the  lady  reputed  to  have  been  connected  with 
President  Taylor's  commission  of  inquiry  into  affairs 
in  Hungary  - 

"  Yes, —  the  '  most  beautiful  woman  in  Washington 
to-day.'  So  she  is  called  by  some  — '  the  most  dan 
gerous,'  by  others." 

"  Has  Kentucky  forgotten  its  gallantry  so  fully  as 
that?  Rumor  has  reported  the  young  woman  to  me 
as  a  charming  young  widow,  of  beauty,  wealth  and 
breeding." 

'  Yes,  manners,  and  convictions,  and  courage  — 
abolitionist  tendencies  and  fighting  proclivities.  She 
is  a  firebrand  —  a  revolutionist,  fresh  back  from  the 
Old  World,  and  armed  with  weapons  of  whose  use  we 
old  fogies  are  utterly  ignorant.  Having  apparently 

309 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

nothing  to  lose  whose  loss  she  dreads,  she  is  careless 
of  all  consequences.  You,  my  dear  Sir,  speak  of  your 
moral  adherence  to  some  new  party.  You  consider 
yourself  one  of  the  lamented  Free  Soil  party,  and  hope 
a  resurrection.  This  woman  does  not  pause  there — no. 
She  comes  here  to  Washington,  at  precisely  the  time 
of  our  final  compromise,  when  all  is  peaceful,  even 
slumberous, —  and  she  preaches  the  crusade  of  fire  and 
sword.  My  dear  friend,  if  you  seek  a  prophet,  here 
is  one;  and  if  you  want  leadership  in  your  dogma  of  no 
slavery  north  of  thirty-six  degrees,  thirty  minutes,  here 
is  prophet  and  leader  in  one !  —  And,  believe  me,  one 
with  arguments  which  make  her  dangerous  to  one 
man,  two  men,  or  any  collection  of  men." 

The  other  pondered.  "  I  have  never  seen  the  lady,'' 
he  remarked,  at  length.  "  Is  she  acquainted  among 
the  abolitionists  of  the  North?  " 

"  No.  She  trains  in  no  one's  camp.  Indeed, 
socially  she  has  been  neglected  in  the  North,  for  rea 
sons  said  to  have  been  urged  in  diplomatic  circles." 

"  Something  of  an  intrigante,  eh?  " 

"  At  least  enough  to  excite  the  anger  and  suspicion 
of  Austria,  the  interest  of  England,  the  concern  of 
France ;  —  that's  all !  " 

"  Of  what  age  is  she?" 

"  Of  about  that  age,  my  dear  Sir,  which  our  children 
or  grandchildren  might  claim.  I  should  say,  twenty- 
three,  twenty-four, —  not  over  twenty-six,  perhaps.  It 
is  difficult  to  say.  I  have  met  her  but  rarely." 

'  You  have  me  at  disadvantage,  even  so,"  smiled  the 
310 


THE  ARTFUL  GENTLEMAN 

other.  "  It  is,  however,  unnecessary  for  you  to  settle 
your  cravat.  It  is  quite  straight;  and  besides,  I  think 
we  are  quite  safe  from  intrusion  of  women  here." 

"You  have  never  met  this  fair  enthusiast?  You 
are  behind  the  times!"  retorted  the  wily  Kentuckian. 
"  Perhaps  you  would  like  that  honor  ?  I  think  it 
could  be  arranged.  Indeed,"  he  added,  after  a  mo 
ment  spent  in  careful  study  of  his  companion's  face, 
"  I  would  even  undertake  to  arrange  it.  My  dear  Sir, 
with  your  well  known  charm  of  manner  with  men, 
and  women  as  well,  you  could  in  that  case  win  the  last 
ing  plaudits  of  your  country,  if  you  but  possessed  the 
resolution ! " 

"  In  a  cause  so  noble,  I  would  do  what  I  might ! 
But  what  is  the  cause  ?  And  is  it  proper  for  one  of  my 
place  to  engage  in  it  ?  " 

"  You  could,  I  say,  be  hailed  by  the  administration 
in  power,  not  as  the  Father  of  your  Country,  perhaps, 
but  as  its  savior.  Take  this  woman  out  of  our  camp, 
and  into  your  own.  Flock  your  own  fowl  together, 
you  Free  Soilers!  Take  her  out  of  Washington,  get 
her  back  to  Europe  —  where  she  belongs, —  and,  with 
out  jesting,  my  dear  Sir,  you  shall  have  the  backing 
next  year,  two  years  hence  —  in  1853, —  any  time  you 
like  —  of  the  men  who  make  this  administration,  and 
of  the  men  behind  this  compromise.  A  majority  of 
the  House,  an  even  division  of  the  Senate  —  Listen, 
my  dear  friend,  this  is  not  idle  talk,  and  these  are  no 
idle  promises !  I  am  serious.  I  speak  to  you  in  no 
wise  ill-advised.  To  tell  you  the  truth,  we  are  fright- 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

ened.  She  has  stolen  all  our  peace  of  mind,  and  stolen 
also  some  of  our  thunder  —  some  of  our  cast-off  and 
unthundered  thunder." 

"  In  what  way  ?  " 

"  Oh,  nothing.  It  is  of  very  little  consequence.  It 
is  a  bagatelle.  All  she  proposes  to  do  is  to  purchase 
all  the  slaves  in  the  United  States  —  out  of  her  own 
funds  —  and  ship  them  out  of  America." 

"  Great  God  !  " 

"  Yes.  We  didn't  dare  it.  She  does.  We  didn't 
begin.  She  has  begun.  And  since  it  has  begun,  who 
knows  what  army  of  the  people  —  what  new  party  — 
may  fall  in  behind  her?  We  want  you  to  forestall 
all  that.  We  don't  want  you  to  head  that  new  party. 
We  think  you  will  do  better  to  fall  in  with  us,  to  ac 
cept  the  compliment  of  a  European  mission  —  and  to 
take  this  fair  firebrand  with  you.  We  are  afraid  to 
have  her  in  Washington." 

The  other  listened  with  a  flicker  of  the  eyelid,  which 
showed  his  interest,  but  feigned  lightness  in  his 
speech. 

"  In  matters  of  gallantry,  my  dear  friend,  why  does 
Kentucky  need  a  substitute,  or  even  an  ally?  " 

"  Kentucky,  in  the  deference  due  to  so  great  a  man 
as  yourself,  yields  to  New  York !  Will  you  have  snuff, 
Sir?" 

"  I  thank  you,  I  think  not.  But  tell  me,  wrhat  is  it 
that  New  York  must  do?" 

"  New  York,  my  dear  Sir,  must  transport,  man 
handle,  murder,  wheedle,  bowstring,  drown,  and  per^ 

312 


THE  ARTFUL  GENTLEMAN 

manently  lose  Josephine,  Countess  St.  Auban, —  her 
self  late  back  from  Missouri,  formerly  of  God  knows 
where.  I  promise  you,  this  country  is  only  a  tinder 
box,  waiting  for  that  sort  of  spark.  To-morrow  — 
but  you  remember,  my  dear  Horatio !  " 

"  But  between  now  and  to-morrow  is  rather  a  brief 
period.  We  have  not  yet  invented  means  of  traveling 
through  the  air.  I  could  not  well  carry  off  this  fair 
lady  by  main  strength.  My  own  plans  unfortunately 
require  some  attention.  And  I  think  that,  even  were 
the  trifling  difficulty  of  the  lady's  consent  overcome, 
I  could  not  easily  assume  the  role  of  savior  of  my  coun 
try  before  the  time  of  the  departure  of  the  next  ship 
for  Europe  —  even  granted  my  enemies,  the  Whigs, 
will  give  a  mission  to  an  ex-Democrat  and  a  Free 
Soiler  like  myself  !  " 

"  Not  that  I  should  not  experience  the  most  pleasure- 
able  emotions  both  in  saving  the  country,  my  dear  Sir," 
he  saluted  with  his  glass,  "  and  of  saving  it  in  the  com 
pany  of  so  charming  a  person  as  this  young  lady  is 
reported  to  be.  The  years  have  laid  us  under  a  certain 
handicap,  my  friend.  Yet  were  this  lady  quite  un 
attached,  or  her  duena  not  wholly  impossible,  one 
might  consider  the  distinguished  role  of  disinterestedly 
saving  one's  country  in  the  capacity  at  least  of  chap 
eron." 

They  looked  at  each  other,  and  broke  into  laughter. 
Yet  minds  so  keen  as  theirs  long  before  them  had 
read  between  lines  on  the  printed  page,  under  the  out 
ward  mask  of  human  countenances. 

313 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Stranger  things  have  happened !  "  said  the  gentle 
man  from  Kentucky. 

"  My  soul  and  body !  My  dear  Sir,  you  do  not 
speak  seriously?"  His  surprise  was  feigned,  and  the 
other  knew  it. 

"  I  was  never  so  serious  in  my  life.  My  friend, 
it  seems  almost  as  though  fate  had  guided  me  to  your 
side  to-night.  At  this  time,  when  our  diplomacy 
abroad  is  none  too  fortunate,  and  when  our  diplomacy 
at  home  is  far  more  delicate  and  dangerous,  you  your 
self,  known  the  country  over  as  a  man  of  tact  and 
delicacy,  are  the  one  man  in  the  world  to  handle  this 
very  mission.  It  is  the  Old  Fox  of  the  North,  after 
all,  Free  Soiler  or  not,  who  alone  can  smooth  down 
matters  for  us.  Our  country  had  supreme  confidence 
in  you.  This  administration  has  such  confidence  still. 
It  will  give  all  that  is  seemly  for  one  of  your  station 
to  accept.  It  will  not  ask  aught  of  party  lines,  this 
or  that." 

"Do  you  speak  with  authority  other  than  your 
own?" 

"  It  is  not  yet  time  for  me  to  answer  that." 

"  Yet  you  dare  approach  one  who  is  in  the  opposing 
camp." 

"  But  one  whose  camp  we  either  hope  to  join,  or 
whom  we  hope  later  to  have  in  our  own.  Who  can 
tell  where  party  lines  will  fall  in  the  next  three  years? 
All  the  bars  may  be  down  by  then,  and  many  a  fence 
past  mending." 

314 


THE  ARTFUL  GENTLEMAN 

"  For  the  sake  of  harmony,  much  should  be  ven 
tured." 

"  Excellent  words,  Sir." 

"  One  owes  a  certain  duty  to  one's  country  at  any 
time." 

"  Still  more  excellent." 

"  And  political  success  can  be  obtained  best  through 
union  and  not  disunion  of  political  forces." 

"Most  excellent  of  all!  We  rejoice  to  hear  the 
voice  of  New  York  speaking  in  the  old  way." 

"  My  faith,  I  believe  you  are  serious  in  this !  Have 
you  really  formulated  any  plans?"  He  was  safe  in 
the  trap,  and  the  other  knew  it. 

"  Sir,  I  will  not  discredit  you  by  choosing  methods. 
As  to  the  results  desired,  I  say  no  more." 

"  Yet  we  sit  here  and  discuss  this  matter  as  though 
we  contemplated  a  simple,  proper  and  dignified  act !  " 

"  Murder  is  perhaps  not  legal,  even  for  the  sake  of 
one's  country.  But  suppose  we  halt  this  side  of  mur 
der.  Suppose  that  by  means  known  only  to  yourself, 
and  not  even  to  myself,  you  gained  this  young  wom 
an's  free  consent  to  accompany  you,  say,  to  Europe 
—  that  would  be  legal,  dignified,  proper  —  and  ah ! 
so  useful." 

"And  rather  risky!" 

"  And  altogether  interesting." 

"  And  quite  impossible." 

"  Altogether  impossible.     Oh,  utterly !  " 

"  Quite  utterly !  " 

315 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

They  spoke  with  gravity.  What  the  gentleman 
from  New  York  really  thought  lay  in  his  unvoiced 
question :  "  Could  it  by  any  possibility  be  true  that  the 
Fillmore  administration  would  give  me  support  for  the 
next  nomination  if  I  agree  to  swing  the  Free  Soil  vote 
nearer  to  the  compromise  ? "  What  the  gentleman 
from  Kentucky  asked  in  his  own  mind,  was  this : 
"  Will  he  play  fair  with  us,  or  will  he  simply  make 
this  an  occasion  to  break  into  our  ranks  ?  "  What  they 
both  did  was  to  break  out  into  laughter  at  least  feign- 
edly  hearty.  The  Kentuckian  resolved  to  put  every 
thing  upon  one  hazard. 

"  I  was  just  saying,"  he  remarked,  "  that  we  have 
been  told  the  adorable  countess  perhaps  contemplates 
only  a  short  visit  in  America  after  all.  She  might 
be  easy  to  lead  back  to  Europe.  If  necessary,  you 
shall  have  a  dignified  errand  made  for  you  abroad  - 
entirely  what  you  yourself  would  call  fitting.  You 
must  see  to  that.  Your  reward  will  come  somewhere 
this  side  of  Heaven/' 

"  Again  you  have  forgotten  about  - 

"  I  have  forgotten  nothing,  and  to  show  you  that 
I  speak  with  authority,  I  will  tell  you  this :  Within 
the  hour  the  Countess  St.  Auban  will  leave  her  enter 
tainment  at  the  theater  and  return  to  her  hotel.  You 
see,  we  are  advised  of  all  her  movements.  We  give 
you  an  hour  to  meet  her  at  her  hotel ;  an  hour  to  per 
suade  her.  There  the  curtain  drops. 

"  No  one  in  Washington  or  in  New  York  seeks  to 
look  beyond  that  curtain,"  he  concluded  slowly.  "  No 

316 


THE  ARTFUL  GENTLEMAN 

one  counsels  you  what  to  do,  and  indeed,  no  one  can 
suggest.  Only  take  this  woman  away,  and  lose  her, — 
that  is  all !  A  few  days  or  weeks  will  do,  but  for  ever 
would  be  better.  It  is  no  light  errand  that  is  offered 
to  you,  and  we  are  not  fools  or  children  to  look  at  this 
altogether  lightly.  There  is  risk,  and  there  is  no  se 
curity.  Customarily  the  rewards  of  large  risks  and 
poor  security  are  great  —  when  there  are  any  re 
wards." 

The  gentleman  from  Kentucky  rose  as  he  spoke 
and,  adroit  in  managing  men,  reached  out  his  hand 
as  though  to  take  the  other's  and  so  to  clench  the 
matter.  Yet  his  heart  leaped  in  surprise  —  a  sur 
prise  which  did  not  leave  him  wholly  clear  as  to  the 
other's  motives  —  when  the  latter  met  his  hand  with 
so  hearty  a  grasp  of  affirmation. 

"  It  should  not  be  so  difficult,"  he  said.  "  It  is  only 
a  case  of  logical  argument.  It  is  long  since  I  have 
addressed  the  people,  or  addressed  a  lady,  but  I  shall 
try  my  skill  once  more  to-night !  All  that  is  necessary 
is  to  explain  to  this  young  lady  that  our  political  am 
bitions  are  quite  the  same,  and  that  I  might  be  of  serv 
ice  did  wre  share  the  same  public  means  of  travel  in 
a  journey  already  planned  by  both.  I  was  intending 
a  visit  to  Europe  this  very  summer." 

"  Sir,  there  is  no  other  man  owner  both  of  the  skill 
and  courage  to  handle  this  matter.  I  hesitated  to  put 
it  before  you,  but  the  method  you  suggest  seems  al 
most  plausible.  I  trust  you  to  make  it  appear  wholly 
so  to  the  fair  lady  herself." 

317 


"ONLY  TAKE  THIS  WOMAN  AWAY  AND  LOSE  HER' 


THE  ARTFUL  GENTLEMAN 

"  We  might  be  younger  and  fare  better  at  that  sort 
of  thing." 

"  Altogether  to  the  contrary,  my  friend !  Do  not 
mistake  this  lady.  Youth  would  be  an  absolute  bar 
to  success.  Age,  dignity,  a  public  reputation  such  as 
yours, —  these  are  the  only  things  which  by  any  pos 
sibility  could  gain  success;  and,  frankly,  even  these 
may  fail.  At  least,  I  honestly  wish  you  success,  and 
there  has  been  no  jest  in  what  I  said  about  the  support 
of  Mr.  Fillmore's  family  and  his  party.  You  know 
that  there  is  honesty  even  in  politics,  sometimes;  and 
there  is  silence,  I  promise  that.  Take  my  advice. 
Put  her  in  a  sack,  drop  her  overboard  in  mid-ocean. 
In  return,  all  I  ask  of  you  is  not  to  throw  overboard 
the  sack  anywhere  close  to  this  country's  shore !  It 
was  done  once  before,  on  the  Ohio  River,  but  the  sack 
was  not  tied  tightly  enough.  Here  she  is  again ! 
Wherefore,  have  a  care  with  your  sack  strings,  I  be 
seech  you. 

"  Louis,  my  hat ;  and  get  my  carriage !  Have  a 
second  carriage  waiting  here  at  once." 


319 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

THE   DISTINGUISHED    GENTLEMAN    FROM    NEW    YORK 

MEANTIME,  the  Countess  St.  Auban,  innocent 
of  these  plans  which  had  gone  forward  regard 
ing  her,  completed  her  attendance  at  the  entertainment 
which  the  evening  was  offering  the  elite  of  Washing 
ton,  and  in  due  time  arrived  at  the  entrance  of  her 
hotel.  She  found  the  private  entrance  to-night  oc 
cupied  by  the  usual  throng,  but  hurried  from  the  car 
riage  step  across  the  pavement  and  through  the  open 
door. 

She  made  no  ordinary  picture  now  as  she  approached 
the  brighter  lights  of  the  interior.  Her  garb,  cut  in 
that  fashion  which  gave  so  scant  aid  to  nature's  out 
lines,  was  widely  though  not  extremely  hooped,  the 
fabric  of  daintily  flowered  silk.  As  she  pushed  back 
the  deep,  double  fronted  dolman  which  served  her  for 
a  wrap,  her  shoulders  showed  white  and  beautiful,  as 
also  the  round  column  of  her  neck,  shadowed  only  by 
one  long  drooping  curl,  and  banded  by  a  gleaming  cir 
clet  of  many  colored  gems.  Her  dark  hair,  though 
drawn  low  upon  the  temples  in  acknowledgment  of 
the  prevailing  mode,  was  bound  in  fashion  of  her  own 
by  a  gem-clasped,  golden  fillet,  under  which  it  broke 

320 


THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  NEW  YORK 

into  a  riot  of  lesser  curls  which  swept  over  ears  and 
temples.  Here  and  there  a  gleaming  jewel  confined 
some  such  truant  lock,  so  that  she  glittered,  half-bar 
baric,  as  she  walked,  surmounted  by  a  thousand  trem 
bling  points  of  light.  Ease,  confidence,  carelessness 
seemed  spoken  alike  by  the  young  woman's  half 
haughty  carriage  and  her  rich  costuming.  Midway  in 
the  twenties  of  her  years,  she  was  just  above  slight- 
ness,  just  above  medium  height.  The  roundness  of 
shoulder  and  arm,  thus  revealed,  bespoke  soundness 
and  wholesomeness  beyond  callowness,  yet  with  no  hint 
of  years  or  bulk.  Her  hair  certainly  \vas  dark  and 
luxuriant,  her  eyes  surely  were  large  and  dark,  with 
out  doubt  shaded  by  long  and  level  brows.  The  nose 
was  not  too  highly  arched  any  more  than  it  was  pinched 
and  meager  —  indeed,  a  triumph  in  noses,  since  not  too 
strong,  nor  yet  indicating  a  physique  weak  and  ill 
nourished. 

Vital,  self-confident,  a  trifle  foreign,  certainly  dis 
tinguished,  at  first  there  might  have  seemed  a  trace  of 
defiance  in  the  carriage,  even  in  the  glance  of  Josephine 
St.  Auban.  But  a  second  look  into  the  wide  dark  eyes 
would  have  found  there  rather  a  trace  of  pathos,  bor 
dering  upon  melancholy;  and  the  lines  of  the  mouth, 
strongly  curved,  would  in  all  likelihood  have  gained 
that  sympathy  demanded  by  the  eyes,  betokening  a 
nature  warm  and  noble,  not  petty  or  mean,  and  cer 
tainly  not  insignificant. 

Such  was  the  woman  of  the  hour  in  Washington, 
lately  frowned  on  by  the  ladies  as  too  beautiful,  talked 

321 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

about  by  the  gentlemen  as  too  cold,  discussed  by  some, 
adored  by  others,  understood  by  none,  dreaded  by  some 
high  in  power,  plotted  against  by  others  yet  more  high 
in  place. 

She  cast  a  hurried  glance  now  at  the  clock  which, 
tall  and  solemn,  stood  near  by  in  the  hall.  It  was  upon 
the  stroke  of  midnight  only.  Turning  half  question- 
ingly  to  her  maid,  she  heard  a  footfall.  The  manager 
of  the  hotel  himself  came  to  greet  her,  carrying  a  card 
in  his  hand,  and  with  a  bow,  asking  her  attention. 

"  Well,  then,"  began  the  young  woman,  in  perfect 
English,  glancing  at  the  card.  Her  dark  eyes  rose  to 
meet  his.  "  It  is  impossible,"  she  said.  "  You  know 
my  wishes  very  well." 

"  But,  my  dear  Countess,  have  you  noted  this 
name?  "  began  the  manager. 

"  Of  course,  I  know  it.  All  the  more  reason  there 
should  be  mistake." 

"  But  I  assure  you,  my  dear  Countess  — " 

A  step  sounded  near  by,  and  the  curtains  swung  back, 
disclosing  the  entrance  to  one  of  the  adjoining  parlors 
of  the  hotel.  The  figure  of  a  well-built  and  hale  gen 
tleman,  past  middle  age,  of  dignified  carriage  and  pleas 
ant  features,  was  revealed.  Half  hesitating,  he 
advanced. 

"  My  dear  lady,"  he  began,  in  a  deep  and  melodious 
voice,  "  I  come  to  you  doubly  handicapped,  both  as  in 
truder  and  eavesdropper.  I  could  not  avoid  hearing 
what  you  have  said,  and  as  listeners  hear  no  good  of 
themselves,  I  venture  to  interrupt.  I  am  anxious  that 

322 


SHE   DROPPED    HIM    A    CURTSY 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

your  first  impression  of  me  should  be  a  good  one, 
Madam!" 

She  dropped  him  a  curtsy  which  was  grace  itself,  her 
dark  eyes  looking  straight  into  his  face.  Surprise 
brought  a  slightly  heightened  color  to  her  cheek.  See 
ing  her  perturbation,  the  unbidden  guest  hastened  to 
make  what  amends  were  possible. 

'*  You  were  saying  it  was  a  mistake,  dear  lady.  But 
if  so,  the  intrusion  was  on  my  part.  I  have  wished  to 
meet  you  quietly,  if  such  may  be  your  pleasure.  I  am 
alone.  Opportunity  has  lacked  for  earlier  announce 
ment,  for  I  have  but  re-ached  town  this  evening." 

She  looked  from  one  to  the  other  still  questioningly. 
The  manager  of  the  hotel,  feeling  discretion  to  be  the 
best  card  to  play,  hurriedly  bowed,  and  hastened  away. 

The  Countess  St.  Auban  hesitated  for  an  instant,  but 
guessed  some  errand  here  worth  knowing.  Having 
herself  entered  the  inner  room,  with  grace  she  signified 
that  the  elderly  gentleman  should  first  be  placed ;  then, 
seating  herself  upon  a  divan  somewhat  nearer  to  the 
door  and  hence  in  shadow,  she  waited  for  him  to  go 
forward  with  the  business  which  had  brought  him 
hither. 

"  Madam,"  he  went  on,  "  my  dear  Countess,  I  could 
but  overhear  you  refer  to  my  own  name.  If  it  has  any 
reputation  in  your  eyes,  let  that  plead  as  my  excuse  for 
intruding  in  this  manner.  Believe  me,  nothing  would 
induce  me  to  take  such  a  step  except  business  of  import 
ance." 

"  It  is,  then,  of  business?  "  Her  voice,  as  he  noted 
3^4 


THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  NEW  YORK 

once  more,  was  clear  and  full,  her  enunciation  with 
out  provincial  slur,  clean  and  highbred. 

"  I  hope  something  not  wholly  outside  your  liking." 

"  Of  course  I  do  not  understand."  She  sat  still  look 
ing  at  him  full,  her  hands,  clasping  her  little  fan,  a 
trifle  raised. 

"  Then  let  me  hasten  to  make  all  plain.  I  am  aware 
of  a  part  of  your  history  and  of  a  part  of  your  plans, 
Madam ;  I  am  not  unaware  of  certain  ambitions  of  your 
own  —  I  am  forced  to  be  so  frank  in  these  conditions. 
You  are  interested  in  the  cause  of  Hungary." 

"  Place  it  wider,  Sir,"  she  said.     "  In  humanity!  " 

"  Hence  you  have  come  to  America  to  carry  for 
ward  certain  of  your  plans.  Even  now  you  have 
undertaken  the  greatest  and  most  daring  work  of 
altruism  this  country  ever  knew." 

She  made  no  answer  but  to  smile  at  him,  a  wide  and 
half  lazy  smile,  disclosing  her  white  and  even  teeth. 
The  jewels  in  her  dark  hair  glistened  as  she  nodded 
slightly.  Emboldened,  he  went  on : 

"  And  you  find  all  things  at  a  deadlock  in  Washing 
ton  to-day.  Humanity  is  placed  away  in  linen  on  the 
shelf  in  America,  to-day.  Dust  must  not  filter  through 
the  protection  of  this  mighty  compromise  which  our 
two  great  parties  have  accomplished !  We  must  not 
talk  of  principles,  must  not  stir  sedition,  at  this  time. 
Whig  and  Democrat  must  tiptoe,  both  of  them,  nor 
wake  this  sleeping  dog  of  slavery.  Only  a  few, 
Madam,  only  a  few,  have  the  hardihood  to  assert  their 
beliefs.  Only  a  few  venture  to  cast  defiance  even  to 

325 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

the  dictum  of  Webster  himself.  He  says  to  us  that  con 
science  should  not  be  above  the  law.  I  say  to  you, 
Madam,  that  conscience  should  be  the  only  law." 

"  Are  you  for  freedom,  Sir  ?  "  she  asked  slowly. 
"  Are  you  for  humanity?  " 

"  Madam,  as  I  hope  reward,  I  am!  Those  of  us  who 
dare  say  so  much  are  few  in  numbers  to-day.  We  are 
so  few,  my  dear  lady,  that  we  belong  together.  All  of 
us  who  have  influence  —  and  that  I  trust  may  be  said 
of  both  of  us,  who  now  meet  for  the  first  time  —  we 
are  so  few  that  I,  a  stranger  to  you,  though  not,  I  trust, 
wholly  unrecommended,  dare  come  to  you  to-night." 

"  With  what  purpose,  then,  Sir  ?  " 

"  \Vith  the  immediate  purpose  of  learning  at  first 
hand  the  truth  of  the  revolutionary  system  in  Europe. 
I  have  not  been  abroad  of  late,  indeed  not  for  some 
years.  But  I  know  that  our  diplomacy  is  alt  a-tangle. 
The  reports  are  at  variance,  and  we  get  them  colored 
by  partisan  politics.  This  slavery  agitation  is  simply 
a  political  game,  at  which  both  parties  and  all  sides  are 
merely  playing.  Party  desirability,  party  safety  — 
that  is  the  cry  in  the  South  as  much  as  in  the  North. 
Yet  all  the  time  I  know,  as  you  know,  of  the  hundreds 
of  thousands  of  men  who  are  leaving  Europe  to  come 
to  this  country.  A  wave  of  moral  change  is  bound  to 
sweep  across  the  North.  Madam,  we  dwell  on  the  eve 
of  revolution  here  in  America  as  well  as  in  Europe. 
Now  do  you  see  why  I  have  come  to  you  to-night? 
Have  we  not  much  in  common  ?  " 

"  I  am  glad,"  she  said  simply;  "  I  am  proud.  Me 
326 


THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  NEW  YORK 

you  overrate,  but  my  wishes  and  my  hopes  you  do  not 
overrate.  Only,—  "  and  she  hesitated,  "  why  to-night; 
why  in  this  particular  way  ?  " 

"  I  arrive  at  that.  My  own  plans  take  me  soon  to 
Europe.  I  am  determined  to  investigate  upon  the  very 
ground  itself  this  question  of  a  national  repression  of 
the  human  conscience." 

She  sat  a  trifle  more  erect,  a  trifle  more  haughty. 
He  seemed  to  read  her  thoughts. 

"  Let  me  hope  that  you  also  have  planned  an  early 
return.  We  have  much  which  we  might  discuss  of 
common  interest.  There  is  much  of  interest  in  that 
country  beyond,  which  we  might  see.  I  do  not  venture 
any  suggestion  for  you,  but  only  say  that  if  it  were 
within  your  own  desires  to  travel  in  the  company  of  a 
man  whose  former  station  at  least  ought  to  render  your 
reputation  safe,  you  and  your  servants  will  be  welcome 
in  my  company.  My  party  will  have  other  gentlemen 
and  ladies,  not  of  mean  station,  I  hope." 

She  looked  at  him,  hesitating,  studying.  It  was 
hardly  a  fair  contest,  this  of  youth  and  scant  experience 
against  suavity  and  shrewdness  strengthened  by  years 
of  public  life. 

"  I  am  somewhat  helpless,  Sir,"  she  said,  at  length. 
"  To  converse  with  one  so  able  as  yourself, —  what 
woman  of  my  ambitions  would  not  be  pleased  with 
that?  But  I  am  a  woman,  and  alone  in  the  world. 
I  am  already  denounced  as  careless.  There  already 
has  been  talk.  Moreover,  as  you  see,  I  am  com 
mitted  now  fully  to  this  great  work  of  freeing  and  send- 

327 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

ing  trom  America  the  negro  slaves.  Take  them  from 
this  country.  Replace  them  with  three  million  men 
born  closer  to  freedom  and  citizenship — " 

"  Yes.  But  you  are  here  somewhat  mysteriously ; 
you  come  privately  and  secretly.  What  harm,  then,  if 
you  return  as  privately  and  secretly  as  you  have  come 
to  Washington  ?  Let  your  agents  carry  on  your  work 
here.  The  mission  on  which  I  shall  be  engaged  will 
have  to  do  with  Louis  Kossuth." 

"  Ah !  " 

"  Yes ;  and  you  know  that  noble  patriot,  I  am  told. 
Consider  of  what  aid  you  might  be  to  me.  You  speak 
his  tongue,  you  know  his  history,  you  could  supply  me 
at  once  with  information  —  Come,  'tis  no  idle  errand. 
And,  perhaps, —  you  will  forgive  me,  since  we  both 
know  how  cruel  is  such  gossip  as  this  that  has  wronged 
you  —  the  tongue  of  gossip  wags  the  least  when  the  eye 
of  gossip  has  seen  least.  This  is  a  most  natural  and 
proper  —  indeed,  most  convincing  opportunity." 

"  That  is  precisely  what  I  pondered,  Sir."  She 
nodded  gravely. 

"  And  let  me  add  this,"  he  continued :  "  every  day 
you  are  here  in  Washington  the  tongue  of  rumor  wags 
the  more.  Listen  to  me !  Leave  this  place.  Let  gossip 
quiet  down.  It  has  been  cruel  with  you ;  yet  the  public 
soon  forgets.  To  remain  and  appear  in  public  would 
freshen  gossip  anew.  Come,  it  is  an  adventure !  I 
swear  it  does  not  lack  its  appeal  to  me !  Ah,  would 
only  that  I  were  younger,  and  that  it  were  less  seemly 
and  sedate!  Dear  lady,  I  offer  you  my  apology  for 

328 


THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  NEW  YORK 

coming  as  I  have,  but  large  plans  work  rapidly  at  times, 
and  there  is  little  time  to  wait.  Now  there  is  but  one 
word  I  can  say ;  that  you  have  courage  and  decision,  I 


He  had  risen,  and  unconsciously  the  young  woman 
also  had  risen, —  balancing,  measuring,  watching, 
warding,  in  this  contest,  all  too  unequal.  Suddenly, 
with  a  swift  and  most  charming  smile  she  approached 
him  a  half  step  and  held  out  her  hand. 

"  You  are  a  great  man,  Sir.  Your  country  has  found 
you  great.  I  have  always  found  the  greatest  men  the 
simplest  and  most  frank.  Therefore  I  know  you  will 
tell  me  —  you  will  satisfy  any  doubt  I  may  feel  - 
If  I  should  ask  a  question,  you  would  not  condemn  me 
as  presuming?  " 

"  Certainly  not.  Upon  the  contrary,  my  dear 
Countess,  I  should  feel  flattered." 

She  looked  at  him  for  an  instant,  then  came  up  to  the 
side  of  the  table  beyond  which  he  had  taken  his  seat. 
Leaning  her  chin  upon  her  hand,  her  elbow  upon  the 
table,  in  a  sudden  posture  of  encounter,  she  asked 
him  a  question  whose  answer  took  him  swiftly  far 
back  into  his  own  past,  into  another  and  forgotten 
clay. 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  of  Mr.  John  Parish,  Sir?  "  she 
demanded. 

The  suave  countenance  before  her  was  at  first  blank, 
then  curious,  then  intent.  His  mind  was  striving  to 
summon  up,  from  all  its  many  images,  this  one  which 
was  required.  It  was  a  brain  which  rarely  forgot, 

329 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

even  though  years  had  passed;  and  had  it  been  able  to 
forget,  so  much  had  been  the  better  for  the  plans  of  the 
gentleman  from  Kentucky,  and  for  the  success  of  his 
proposed  European  mission. 

At  last,  slowly,  a  faint  flush  passed  over  the  face 
she  was  regarding  so  intently.  "  Yes,  I  remember  him 
very  well,"  he  replied.  "  He  has  not  for  very  many 
years,  been  in  this  country.  He  died  abroad,  some 
years  since.  I  presume  you  mean  Mr.  Parish  of  New 
York  —  he  is  the  only  one  I  recall  of  that  name  at  least. 
Yes ;  I  knew  such  a  man." 

"  That  was  very  long  ago  ?  " 

"  It  was  when  I  was  much  younger,  my  dear 
Countess." 

"  You  knew  him  very  well,  then?  " 

"  I  may  say  that  I  did,  Madam." 

"  And  you'll  tell  me ;  then  —  tell  me,  was  it  true  that 
once,  as  a  wild  rumor  had  it,  a  rumor  that  I  have  heard 
-  that  once  you  two  played  at  cards  — " 

"  Was  that  a  crime?  "  he  smiled. 

"  But  with  him,  at  cards  with  him,  Mr.  John  Parish, 
a  certain  game  of  cards  with  him  —  one  day, —  a  cer 
tain  winter  day  years  ago,  when  you  both  were  younger 
—  when  the  train  was  snowbound  in  the  North  ?  And 
you  played  then,  for  what?  What  were  the  stakes 
then,  in  that  particular  game  with  Mr.  John  Parish? 
Do  you  chance  to  recall  ?  " 

"  Madam,  you  credit  me  with  frankness.  I  will  not 
claim  even  so  much.  But  since  you  have  heard  a  rumor 
that  died  out  long  years  ago  —  which  was  denied  — 

33° 


THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  NEW  YORK 

which  even  now  I  might  better  deny  —  since,  in  fact 
you  know  the  truth  —  why  should  I  deny  the  truth  ?  " 

"  Then  you  two  played  a  game,  at  cards, —  for  a 
woman?  And  Mr.  Parish  won?  Was  it  not  true?" 

A  new  and  different  expression  passed  over  the  face 
of  the  gentleman  before  her.  Her  chin  still  rested  in 
her  hand,  her  other  arm,  long,  round,  white,  lay  out 
upon  the  table  before  him.  He  could  see  straight  into 
her  wide  eyes,  see  the  heave  of  her  throat  now  under 
its  shining  circlet,  see  the  color  of  her  cheek,  feel  the 
tenseness  of  all  her  mind  and  body  as  she  questioned 
him  about  his  long  forgotten  past. 

"  Why  do  you  ask  me  this  ?  "  he  demanded  at  last. 
"  What  has  that  to  do  with  us  ?  That  was  long  ago. 
It  is  dead,  it  is  forgotten.  Why  rake  up  the  folly  of 
a  deed  of  youth  and  recklessness,  long  years  dead  and 
gone?  Why,  the  other  man,  and  the  woman  herself, 
are  dead  and  gone  now,  both  of  them.  Then,  why  ?  " 

"  I  will  tell  you  why.  That  happened  once  in  my 
own  experience." 

"Impossible!" 

"  Yes,  impossible.  It  should  have  been  impossible 
among  men  at  this  day  of  the  world.  But  it  happened. 
I  also  had  the  distinguished  honor  to  be  the  stake  in 
some  such  game,  and  that  because  —  indirectly  because 
-  I  had  won  the  enmity,  the  suspicions  at  least  —  well, 
we  will  say,  of  persons  high  in  authority  in  this  land." 

"  But,  my  dear  young  lady,  the  conditions  can  not 
have  been  the  same.  Assuredly  the  result  was  not  the 
same !  " 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  By  whose  credit,  then?  Who  thinks  of  a  woman? 
Who  is  there  whose  hand  is  not  raised  against  her? 
Each  member  of  her  own  sex  is  her  enemy.  Each 
member  of  the  opposite  sex  is  her  foe.  One  breath,  one 
suspicion,  and  she  becomes  fair  game,  even  under  the 
strictest  code  among  men;  and  then,  the  man  who 
did  not  dare  would  be  despised  because  he  would  not 
dare.  Her  life  is  one  long  war  against  suspicion.  It 
is  one  long  war  against  selfishness,  a  continued  defense 
against  desire,  gratification.  She  is,  even  to-day, 
valued  as  chattel  —  under  all  the  laws  and  conventions 
built  about  her  runs  the  chattel  idea.  She  is  a  con 
venience.  Is  that  all  ?  " 

"  My  dear  lady,  it  is  not  for  me  to  enter  into  discus 
sion  of  subjects  so  abstruse,  so  far  removed  at  least 
from  my  proper  trend  of  thought  —  our  proper  trend 
of  thought,  if  you  please.  I  must  admit  that  act  of 
folly,  yes.  But  I  must  also  end  the  matter  there." 

"  Then  why  should  not  I  end  our  matter  there,  Sir  ? 
It  seems  to  me  that  if  in  any  usual  way  of  life,  going 
about  her  business  honestly,  paying  her  obligations  of 
all  sort  —  even  that  to  her  crucifix  at  night  —  a  woman 
who  is  clean  wishes  to  remain  clean,  to  be  herself, — 
why,  I  say,  if  that  may  not  be,  among  men  great  or 
small,  distinguished  or  unknown,  then  most  fortunate 
is  she  who  remains  aloof  from  all  chance  of  that  sort 
of  thing.  Sir,  I  should  not  like  to  think  that,  while  I 
was  in  my  room,  for  the  time  removed  from  the  society 
of  the  gentlemen  who  should  be  my  protectors,  there 

332 


THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  NEW  YORK 

was  going  on,  let  us  say,  somewhere  in  the  gentlemen's 
saloon,  a  little  enterprise  at  chance  in  which  — 

"  But,  my  dear  lady,  you  are  mad  to  speak  in  this 
way!  Lightning,  even  lightning  of  folly,  does  not 
strike  twice  in  the  same  place." 

"  Ah,  does  it  not  ?     But  it  has !  " 

"  What  can  you  mean  ?  Surely  you  do  not  mean 
actually  to  say  that  you  yourself  ever  have  figured  in 
such  an  incident  ?  " 

She  made  no  answer  to  him,  save  to  look  straight 
into  his  eyes,  chin  in  hand  still,  her  long  white  arm 
lying  out,  motionless,  her  posture  free  of  nervous  strain 
or  unrest.  Slowly  her  lips  parted,  showing  her  fine 
white  teeth  in  a  half  smile.  Her  eyes  smiled  also,  with 
wisdom  in  their  look. 

The  venerable  statesman  opposed  to  her  all  at  once 
felt  his  resources  going.  He  knew  that  his  quest  was 
over,  that  this  young  woman  was  after  all  able  to  fend 
for  herself. 

"\Vhat  would  you  do?"  she  demanded  of  him. 
"If  you  were  a  woman  and  knew  you  were  merely 
coveted  in  general,  as  a  woman,  and  that  you  had  been 
just  cheaply  played  for  in  a  game  of  cards,  in  a  public 
place  —  what  would  you  do,  if  you  could,  to  the  man 
who  lost  —  or  the  man  who  won  ?  Would  you  be  de 
livered  over  ?  That  woman,  was  she  —  but  she  could 
not  help  herself ;  she  had  no  place  to  turn,  poor  girl ! 
And  she  paid  all  her  life,  then,  for  some  act  earlier, 
which  left  her  fair  game?  Was  that  it?  " 

333 


"  But  you,  my  dear  girl !     It  is  impossible !  " 

"  I  was  more  fortunate,  that  is  all.  Would  you 
blame  me  if  I  dreaded  the  memory  of  such  an  incident ; 
if  I  felt  a  certain  shrinking  from  one  who  ever  figured 
in  such  an  incident  ?  If  I  could  trust  —  but  then, 
but  then  —  Are  you  very  sure  that  Mr.  Parish  loved 
that  woman  ?  " 

"  I  am  sure  of  it,"  answered  the  old  man  soberly. 

"  Did  he  use  her  well  ?  " 

"  All  her  life.     He  gave  her  everything  — " 

"  Oh,  that  is  nothing !  Did  he  give  her  —  after  he 
had  learned,  maybe,  that  she  was  not  what  he  had 
thought  —  did  he  give  her  then  —  love  —  belief,  trust  ? 
Did  he  —  are  you  very  sure  that  any  man  in  such  case, 
after  such  an  incident,  could  have  loved,  really  loved, 
the  woman  whom  he  held  in  that  way  — 

"  I  not  only  believe  he  might,  my  dear  girl,  but  I 
know  that  in  this  one  case  —  the  only  one  of  my  ex 
perience  "  -  he  smiled  — "  such  was  the  truth.  There 
was  some  untold  reason  why  they  two  did  not,  or  could 
not,  marry.  I  do  not  go  into  that. 

"  Consider,  my  dear  girl,"  he  resumed ;  "  you  are 
young,  and  I  am  so  old  that  it  is  as  though  I  too  were 
young  now  and  had  no  experience  —  so  we  may  talk. 
Our  life  is  a  contest  among  men  for  money  and  for 
love;  that  is  all  success  can  bring  us.  In  older  days 
men  fought  for  that.  To-day  we  have  modified  life  a 
little,  and  have  other  ways;  but  I  fancy  the  game  in 
which  that  certain  lady  figured  was  only  one  form  of 
contest  —  it  was  a  fight,  the  spoils  to  go  to  the  victor." 

334 


THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  NEW  YORK 

"Horrible!  But  you  might  have  been  the  victor? 
In  that  case,  would  you  have  loved  her,  would  you  have 
used  her  well,  all  your  life,  and  hers?  " 

He  drew  back  now  with  dignity.  "  Madam,  my 
position  in  later  years  defends  me  from  necessity  of  an 
swering  you.  You  are  young,  impulsive,  but  you 
should  not  forget  the  proprieties  even  now  — "  His 
face  was  now  hotly  flushed. 

"  I  ask  your  pardon !     But  would  you  ?  " 

He  smiled  in  spite  of  himself,  something  of  the  old 
fire  of  gallantry  still  burning  in  his  withered  veins. 
"  My  dear  girl,  if  it  were  yourself,  I  would!  And  by 
the  Lord !  I'd  play  again  with  Parish,  or  any  other 
man,  if  my  chance  otherwise,  merely  by  cruel  circum 
stances,  had  been  left  hopeless.  Some  one  must  win." 

"  But  how  could  the  winner  be  sure  ?  How  could 
the  —  how  did  she  —  I  would  say  — " 

"  Dear  girl,  let  us  not  be  too  cold  in  our  philosophy, 
nor  too  wise.  I  can  not  say  how  or  why  these  things 
go  as  they  do.  All  I  know  is  that  the  right  man  won 
in  that  case,  and  that  he  proved  it  later,  by  each  act  of 
kindness  he  gave  her,  all  her  life.  This,  my  dear,  is  an 
odd  world,  when  it  comes  to  all  that." 

"  Was  he  —  did  he  have  anybody  else  in  the  world 
who—" 

"  Qh,  only  a  wife,  I  believe,  that  was  all !  " 

"  Did  she  die,  soon  ?     Was  there  ever  - 

"  How  you  question !  What  do  you  plan  for  your 
self?  My  word !  You  are  putting  me  through  a 
strange  initiation  on  our  first  acquaintance,  my  dear 

335 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Countess!  Let  us  not  pursue  such  matters  further, 
or  I  shall  begin  to  think  your  own  interest  in  these 
questions  is  that  of  the  original  Eve !  " 

"  To  the  victor  does  not  always  belong  the  spoils," 
she  said  slowly.  "  Not  till  he  has  won  —  earned 
them  —  in  war,  in  conquest !  Perhaps  conquest  of 
himself." 

"  You  speak  in  enigmas  for  me,  my  dear  Countess." 

She  shook  her  head  slowly,  from  side  to  side. 
"  That  poor  girl !  Did  she  ever  feel  she  had  been  won 
in  the  real  game,  I  wonder  ?  To  whom  would  belong 
herself  —  if  she  felt  that  she  had  something  in  her 
own  life  to  forget,  some  great  thing  to  be  done,  in 
penance  perhaps,  in  eagerness  perhaps,  some  step  to 
take,  up  —  something  to  put  her  into  a  higher  plane  in 
the  scheme  of  life?  To  do  something,  for  some  one 
else  —  not  just  to  be  selfish  —  suppose  that  was  in 
her  heart ;  after  that  game  ?  " 

"  Why,  you  read  her  story  as  though  you  saw  it ! 
That  was  her  life,  absolutely.  Never  lived  a  woman 
more  respected  there,  more  loved.  She  disarmed  even 
the  women,  old  and  young  —  yes,  even  the  single 
ones !  " 

"  It  is  an  odd  world,"  she  said  slowly.     "  But  " 
drawing  back  — "  I  do  not  think  I  will  go  back  to 
Europe.     It  would  delight  me  to  meet  again  my  friend, 
the  patriot   Kossuth.     But  here   I   have  many  ideas 
which  I  must  work  out." 

"  My  dear  Countess,  you  oppress  me  with  a  sense  of 
failure !  I  had  so  much  hoped  that  you  would  lend 

336 


TO  THE  VICTOR   DOES   NOT   ALWAYS   BELONG   THE    SPOILS  " 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

your  aid  in  this  mission  of  my  own  abroad.  You 
would  be  valuable.  You  are  so  much  prized  in  the 
opinions  of  the  administration,  I  am  sure,  that  - 

"What  do  you  mean?  Does  the  administration 
know  of  me?  Why  should  it  know?  What  have  I 
done?" 

But  the  old  statesman  before  her  was  no  such  fool 
as  to  waste  time  in  a  lost  cause.  This  one  was  lost, 
he  knew,  and  it  booted  little  for  him  to  become  involved 
where,  even  at  the  best  issue,  there  was  risk  enough  for 
him.  He  reflected  that  risk  must  have  existed  even 
had  this  young  lady  been  a  shade  more  dull  of 
mind,  of  less  brilliant  faculty  in  leaping  to  conclusions 
and  resolutions.  She  was  a  firebrand,  that  was 
sure.  Let  others  handle  such,  but  not  that  task  for 
him! 

"  Now  you  ask  questions  whose  answers  lie  entirely 
beyond  my  power,"  he  replied  easily.  '  You  must 
remember  that  I  am  not  of  this  party,  let  alone  this 
administration.  My  own  day  in  politics  has  past,  and 
I  must  seek  seclusion,  modestly.  I  own  that  the  mis 
sion  to  Europe,  to  examine  in  a  wholly  non-partisan 
way,  the  working  out  there  of  this  revolutionary  idea 
—  the  testing  on  the  soil  of  monarchies  of  the  principle 
of  democratic  government  —  has  a  great  appeal  to  me; 
and  I  fancied  it  would  offer  appeal  also  to  yourself. 
But  if  — " 

"All  life  is  chance,  is  it  not?  But  in  your  belief, 
does  the  right  man  always  win  ?  " 

He  rose,  smiling,  inscrutable  once  more,  astute  and 
338 


THE  GENTLEMAN  FROM  NEW  YORK 

suave  politician  again,  and  passing  about  the  table  he 
bowed  over  her  hand  to  kiss  it. 

"  My  dear  Countess,"  he  said,  "  my  dear  girl,  all  I 
can  say  is  that  in  the  very  limited  experience  I  can 
claim  in  such  matters,  the  victor  usually  is  the  right 
man.  But  I  find  you  here,  alone,  intent  on  visionary 
plans  which  never  can  be  carried  out,  undertaking  a 
labor  naturally  foreign  to  a  woman's  methods  of  life, 
alien  to  her  usual  ideas  of  happiness.  So,  my  dear, 
my  dear,  I  fear  you  yourself  have  not  played  out  the 
game  —  you  have  not  fulfilled  its  issue !  The  stakes 
are  not  yet  given  over!  I  can  not  say  as  to  the  right 
man.  but  I  can  say  with  all  my  heart  that  he  who  wins 
such  prize  is  fortunate  indeed,  and  should  cherish 
it  for  ever.  See,  I  am  not  after  all  devoid  of  wit  or 
courage,  my  dear  young  girl!  Because,  I  know, 
though  you  do  not  tell  me,  that  there  is  some  game 
at  which  you  play,  yourself,  and  that  you  will  not 
stop  that  game  to  participate  in  my  smaller  enterprise 
of  visiting  Kossuth  and  the  lands  of  Europe!  I  ac 
cept  defeat  myself,  once  more,  in  a  game  where  a 
woman  is  at  stake.  Again,  I  lose !  " 

There  was  more  truth  than  she  knew  in  his  words, 
for  what  was  in  his  mind  and  in  the  minds  of  others 
there  in  ^Washington,  regarding  her,  were  matters  not 
then  within  her  knowledge.  But  she  was  guided  once 
more,  as  many  a  woman  has  been,  by  her  unerring 
instinct,  her  sixth  sense  of  womanhood,  her  scent 
for  things  of  danger.  Now,  though  she  stood  with 
face  grave,  pensive,  almost  melancholy,  to  give  him 

339 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

curtsy  as  he  passed,  there  was  not  weakness  nor  fal 
tering  in  her  mien  or  speech. 

"  But  he  would  have  to  win!"  she  said,  as  though 
following  out  some  train  of  thought.  "  He  would  first 
need  to  win  in  the  larger  game.  Ah!  What  woman 
would  be  taken,  except  by  the  man  who  really  had 
won  in  the  real  game  of  life." 

"You  would  demand  that,  my  dear?"  smiled  the 
pleasant  gentleman  who  now  was  bowing  himself 
toward  the  door. 

"  I  would  demand  it !  " 

By  the  time  he  had  opportunity  to  rally  his  senses, 
assailed  as  they  were  by  the  sight  of  her,  by  the  splen 
dor  of  her  apparel,  by  the  music  of  her  voice,  the 
fragrance  which  clung  about  her,  the  charm  of  her 
smiles, —  by  the  time,  in  short,  which  he  required  to 
turn  half  about,  she  was  gone.  He  heard  her  light 
step  at  the  stair. 

"  My  soul !  "  he  exclaimed,  wiping  his  brow  with  a 
silken  kerchief.  "  So  much  for  attempting  to  sacri 
fice  principle  —  for  expecting  to  mix  Free  Soil  and 
Whig!  Damn  that  Kentuckian!" 


340 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

A    SPLENDID    FAILURE 

IF  it  is  easy  to  discover  why  there  was  no  special 
embassy  sent  by  this  government  to  Turkey  for 
the  purpose  of  inviting  the  distinguished  patriot  Kos- 
suth  to  visit  America,  (that  matter  being  concluded 
in  rather  less  formal  fashion  after  the  return  home  of 
the  Hungarian  committee  of  inquiry  —  a  ship  of  our 
navy  being  despatched  to  carry  him  to  our  shores) 
it  with  equal  ease  may  be  understood  why  the  Countess 
St.  Auban  after  this  remained  unmolested.  A  quaking 
administration,  bent  only  on  keeping  political  mat 
ters  in  perfect  balance,  and  on  quenching  promptly,  as 
best  it  might,  any  incipient  blaze  of  anti-slavery  zeal 
which  might  break  out  from  its  smoldering,  dared 
make  no  further  move  against  her.  She  was  now  too 
much  in  the  public  eye  to  be  safe  even  in  suppression, 
and  so  was  left  to  pursue  her  own  way  for  a  time;  this 
the  more  readily,  of  course,  because  she  was  doing 
nothing  either  illegal  or  reprehensible.  Indeed,  as  has 
been  said,  she  was  only  carrying  out  in  private  way  a 
pet  measure  of  Mr.  Fillmore  himself,  one  which  he 
had  only  with  difficulty  been  persuaded  to  eliminate 
from  his  first  presidential  message  —  that  of  purchas- 

341 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

ing  the  slaves  and  deporting  them  from  our  shores. 
The  government  at  Washington  perforce  looked  on, 
shivering,  dreading  lest  this  thing  might  fail,  dread 
ing  also  lest  it  might  not  fail.  It  was  a  day  of  com 
promise,  of  cowardice,  of  politics  played  as  politics; 
a  day  of  that  political  unwisdom  which  always  is 
dangerous  —  the  fear  of  riding  straight,  the  ignorance 
of  the  saving  quality  of  honest  courage.  Wherefore, 
matters  went  on  thus,  fit  foundation  now  building  for 
that  divided  and  ill-ordered  house  of  this  republic, 
whose  purification  could  only  be  found  in  the  cleans 
ing  catastrophe  of  fire  so  soon  to  come. 

As  to  the  unfortunate  work  in  which  this  warm 
hearted  enthusiast  thus  impulsively  engaged,  small 
comment  need  be  made,  since  its  failure  so  soon  was 
to  become  apparent  to  the  popular  mind.  The 
Countess  St.  Auban  was  not  the  first  to  look  to  coloni 
zation  and  deportation  as  the  solution  of  the  negro 
problem  in  America.  But  as  the  Colonization  Society 
for  more  than  a  decade  had  failed  to  accomplish  re 
sults,  so  did  she  in  her  turn  fail.  In  a  work  which 
continued  through  all  that  spring  and  summer,  she 
drew  again  and  again  upon  her  own  private  fortune. 
Carlisle  and  Kammerer  had  charge  of  the  details,  but 
she  herself  was  the  driving  force  of  the  enterprise. 
While  they  were  abroad  lecturing  and  asking  contri 
butions  to  their  cause  —  taking  with  them  the  slave 
girl  Lily  as  an  example  of  what  slavery  had  done  — 
she  remained  at  Washington.  They  actually  did  ar- 

342 


A  SPLENDID  FAILURE 

range  for  the  deportation  of  a  ship-load  of  blacks  to 
Hayti,  another  ship-load  to  Liberia.  A  colony  of 
blacks  whose  freedom  had  been  purchased  was  estab 
lished  in  Tennessee,  others  were  planned  for  yet  other 
localities.  It  was  part  of  her  intent  to  establish  nuclei 
of  freed  blacks  in  different  portions  of  the  southern 
section. 

In  all  this  work  Lily,  late  servant  of  Josephine  St. 
Auban,  assumed  a  certain  prominence,  this  being  given 
to  her  not  wholly  with  wisdom.  Although  but  little 
negro  blood  remained  in  her  veins,  this  former  slave 
had  not  risen  above  the  life  that  had  surrounded  her. 
Ignorant,  emotional,  at  times  working  herself  into  a 
frenzy  of  religious  zeal,  she  was  farthest  of  all  from 
being  a  sober  judge  or  a  fair-minded  agent  for  the 
views  of  others.  Yet  in  time  her  two  guardians,  Car 
lisle  and  Kammerer,  unwisely  allowed  her  more  and 
more  liberty.  She  was  even,  in  times  of  great  hurry, 
furnished  funds  to  go  upon  trips  of  investigation  for 
herself,  as  one  best  fitted  to  judge  of  the  conditions 
of  her  people.  As  to  these  details,  Josephine  St. 
Auban  knew  little.  There  was  enough  to  occupy  her 
mind  at  the  center  of  these  affairs,  where  labors  grew 
rapidly  and  quite  beyond  her  original  plan. 

As  is  always  the  case  in  such  hopeless  enterprises, 
the  expenses  multiplied  beyond  belief.  True,  con 
tributions  came  meagerly  from  the  North,  here  and 
there  some  abolitionist  appearing  who  would  do 
something  besides  write  and  preach.  In  all,  more  than 

343 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

a  half  million  dollars  was  spent  before  the  end  of  the 
year  1851.  Then,  swiftly  and  without  warning,  there 
came  the  end. 

One  morning,  almost  a  year  after  her  return  to 
Washington,  Josephine  St.  Aubari  sat  in  her  apart 
ments,  looking  at  a  long  document  inscribed  in  a  fine, 
foreign  hand.  It  w7as  the  report  of  the  agent  of  her 
estates  in  France  and  Hungary.  As  she  read  it  the 
lines  blurred  before  her  eyes.  It  demanded  an  effort 
even  of  her  superb  courage  fairly  to  face  and  meet 
the  meaning.  In  fact,  it  was  this :  The  revolution  of 
Louis  Napoleon  of  1851  had  resulted  in  the  confisca 
tion  of  many  estates  in  France,  all  her  own  included. 
As  though  by  concert  among  the  monarchies  of 
Europe,  the  heavy  hand  of  confiscation  fell,  in  this 
nation  and  in  that.  The  thrones  of  the  Old  World 
are  not  supported  by  revolutionists;  nor  are  revolu 
tionists  supported  by  the  occupants  of  thrones.  Her 
Hungarian  lands  had  followed  those  which  she  had 
owned  in  France.  The  rents  of  her  estates  no  longer 
could  be  collected.  Her  revenues  were  absolutely 
gone.  Moreover,  she  herself  was  an  exile. 

Thus,  then,  had  her  high-blown  hopes  come  to  an 
end.  It  was  proof  of  the  splendid  courage  of  the 
woman  that  she  shed  not  a  tear.  Not  a  lash  trembled 
as  presently  she  turned  to  despatch  a  message  for  her 
lieutenant,  Carlisle,  to  come  to  her.  The  latter  was  ab 
sent  at  some  western  point,  but  within  two  days  he 
appeared  in  Washington  and  presently  made  his  call, 
as  yet  ignorant  of  what  were  his  employer's  wishes. 

344 


SHE   HERSELF   WAS    AN   EXILE 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

He  himself  began  eagerly,  the  fanatic  fire  still  in 
his  eye,  on  details  of  the  work  so  near  to  his  soul. 
"  My  dear  Countess,"  he  exclaimed,  even  as  he  grasped 
her  hands,  "  we're  doing  splendidly.  We'll  have  the 
whole  Mississippi  Valley  in  an  uproar  before  long.  All 
the  lower  Ohio  is  unsettled.  Missouri,  Illinois,  In 
diana  are  muttering  as  loudly  as  New  England.  I  hear 
that  Lily  has  led  away  a  whole  neighborhood  over  in 
Missouri.  A  few  months  more  like  this,  and  we'll 
have  this  whole  country  in  a  turmoil.  It's  bound  to 
win  —  the  country's  bound  to  come  to  its  senses  —  if 
we  keep  on." 

"  But  we  can  not  keep  on,  my  dear  Sir,"  she  said 
to  him  slowly.  "  That  is  why  I  have  sent  for  you." 

"How  do  you  mean?  What's  wrong?  Can  not 
keep  on  —  end  our  work?  You're  jesting!  " 

"  No,  it  is  the  truth.  Kossuth  is  in  Turkey.  Shall 
I  join  him  there?  Where  shall  I  go?  I'm  an  exile 
from  France.  I  dare  not  return  to  Hungary." 

"  You  —  I'll  —  I'll  not  believe  it !  What  do  you 
mean?  " 

"  I  am  ruined  financially,  that's  all.  My  funds  are 
at  an  end.  My  estates  are  gone !  My  agent  tells 
me  he  can  send  me  no  more  money.  How  much  do 
you  think,"  she  said,  with  a  little  moite,  "  we  can  do  in 
the  way  of  deporting  blacks  out  of  my  earnings  —  well, 
say  as  teacher  of  music,  or  of  French  ?  " 

"  I'll  not  believe  it  —  you  —  why,  you've  been  used 
to  riches,  luxuries,  all  your  life!  And  I  —  why,  I've 
helped  impoverish  you!  I've  been  spending  your 

346 


A  SPLENDID  FAILURE 

money.  A  ship-load  of  blacks,  against  you?  My 
God!  I'd  have  cut  my  hand  off  rather." 

She  showed  him  the  correspondence,  proof  of  all 
that  she  had  said,  and  he  read  with  a  face  haggard  in 
unhappiness. 

"  There !  There !  "  she  said.  "  You've  not  heard 
me  make  any  outcry  yet,  have  you  ?  Why  should  you, 
then?  I  have  seen  men  lay  down  their  lives  for  a 
principle,  a  belief.  You  will  see  that  again.  Should 
not  a  woman  lay  down  her  money  ? 

"  But  as  to  that,"  she  went  on  lightly,  "  why,  there 
are  many  things  one  might  do.  I  might  make  a  rich 
alliance,  don't  you  think  ?  " 

He  suddenly  stiffened  and  "straightened,  and  looked 
her  full  in  the  eye,  a  slow  flush  coming  across  his 
face. 

"  I  couldn't  have  said  it  any  time  before  this,"  said 
he.  "  It  has  been  in  my  heart  all  along,  but  I  didn't 
dare  —  not  then.  Yes,  a  rich  alliance  if  you  liked,  I 
do  not  doubt,  There's  a  poor  one  waiting  for  you, 
any  time  you  like.  You  know  that.  You  must  have 
seen  it,  a  thousand  times  — 

She  advanced  to  him  easily  and  held  out  both  her 
hands.  "  Now,  now !  "  she  said.  "  Don't  begin  that. 
You'll  only  hurt  us  both.  My  lieutenant,  visionary  as 
myself!  Ah,  we've  failed." 

"  But  everybody  will  blame  you  —  you  will  have  no 
place  to  go  —  it  will  be  horrible  —  you  don't  begin  to 
know  what  it  means.  Of  course,  we  have  made  mis 
takes." 

347 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

'  Then  let's  not  make   the  worst  mistake  of  all," 
she  said. 

"  But  we  could  do  so  much  - 

She  turned  upon  him  suddenly,  pale,  excited.  "  Do 
not !  "  she  cried.  "  Do  not  use  those  words !  It  seems 
to  me  that  that  is  what  all  men  think  and  say.  '  How 
much  we  could  do  —  together ! '  Do  not  say  that  to 
me." 

At  this  he  sobered.  "  Then  there  is  some  one  else?  " 
he  said  slowly.  '  You've  heard  some  one  else  use 
those  words?  I  couldn't  blame  him.  Well,  I  wish  him 
happiness.  And  I  wish  you  happiness,  too.  I  had 
no  right  to  presume." 

"Happiness!  —  what  is  that?"  she  said  slowly. 
"I've  been  trying  to  find  it  all  my  life.  My  God! 
How  crooked  were  all  the  mismated  planets  at  my 
birth!  I  haven't  been  happy  myself.  I  do  not  think 
that  I've  added  one  iota  to  the  happiness  of  any  one 
else.  I've  just  failed,  that's  all.  And  I've  tried  so 
hard  —  to  do  something,  something  for  the  world ! 
Oh,  can  a  woman  —  can  she,  ever?"  For  once 
shaken,  she  dropped  her  face  an  instant  in  her  hands, 
he  standing  by,  mute,  and  suffering  much  as  herself 
at  seeing  her  thus  suffer. 

"  But  now,"  she  continued  after  a  time,  " — I  want 
to  ask  you  whether  I've  been  ungenerous  or  vindictive 
with  you  — 

"Vindictive?  You?  Never!  But  why  should 
you  be?" 

348 


YOU   OUGHT   TO    HAVE   PLAYED   FOR    ME! 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Captain,"  she  said  easily,  "  my  lieutenant,  my 
friend,  let  me  say  —  I  will  not  be  specific  —  I  will  not 
mention  names  or  dates ;  but  do  you  think,  if  you  were 
a  woman,  you  could  ever  marry  a  man  who  once,  be 
hind  your  back,  with  not  even  eagerness  to  incite  him, 
but  coolly,  deliberately  —  had  played  a  game  of  cards 
for  —  you?  " 

He  stiffened  as  though  shot.  "  I  know.  But  you 
misunderstand.  I  did  not  play  for  you.  I  played  to 
relieve  a  situation  —  because  I  thought  you  wished  — 
because  it  seemed  the  solution  of  a  situation  hard  for 
both  of  us.  I  thought  - 

"  Solution !  "  She  blazed  up  now,  tigerlike,  and 
her  words  came  through  set  lips.  "  I'd  never  have 
told  you  I  knew,  if  you  hadn't  said  what  you  have. 
But  —  a  solution  —  a  plan  —  a  compromise  !  You 
ought  to  have  played  for  me!  You  ought  to  have 
played  for  me;  and  you  ought  to  have  won  —  have 
won! " 

He  stood  before  a  woman  new  to  him,  one  so  dif 
ferent  from  the  grateful  and  gracious  enthusiast  he 
had  met  all  these  months  that  he  could  not  comprehend 
the  change,  could  not  at  once  adjust  his  confused 
senses.  So  miserable  was  he  that  suddenly,  with  one 
of  her  swift  changes,  she  smiled  at  him,  even  through 
her  sudden  tears.  "No!  No!"  she  exclaimed. 
"See!  Look  here!" 

She  handed  him  a  little  sheet  of  crumpled  note  paper, 
inscribed  in  a  cramped  hand,  showed  him  the  inscrip 
tion  — "  Jeanne  Fournier." 

350 


A  SPLENDID  FAILURE 

"  You  don't  know  who  that  is?  "  she  asked  him. 

"  No,  I  don't  know." 

"  Why,  yes,  you  do.  My  maid  —  my  French  maid 
—  don't  you  remember  ?  She  married  Hector,  the 
cooper,  at  St.  Genevieve.  Now,  see,  Jeanne  is  writing 
to  me  again.  Don't  you  see,  there's  a  baby,  and  it 
is  named  for  me  —  who  has  none.  Good-by,  that 
money !  "  —  she  kissed  hand  to  the  air  — "  Good-by, 
that  idea,  that  dream  of  mine !  That's  of  no  conse 
quence.  In  fact,  nothing  is  of  consequence.  See, 
this  is  the  baby  of  Jeanne !  She  has  asked  me  to 
come.  Why,  then,  should  I  delay  ?  " 

\Yhcther  it  were  tears  or  smiles  which  he  saw  upon 
her  face  Carlisle  never  could  determine.  Whether  it 
were  physical  unrest  or  mental  emotion,  he  did  not 
know,  but  certainly  it  was  that  the  letter  of  the  agent 
remained  upon  the  table  untouched  between  them  while 
Josephine  St.  Auban  pressed  to  her  lips  the  letter  from 
Jeanne,  her  maid. 

"  Why,  I  have  not  failed  at  all !  "  said  she.  "  Have 
I  not  cared  for  and  brought  up  this  Jeanne,  and  is 
there  not  a  baby  of  Jeanne,  a  baby  whom  she  has 
named  for  me  ?  " 

Carlisle,  mute  and  unnoticed,  indeed,  as  he  felt  al 
most  forgotten,  was  relieved  when  there  came  a  knock 
at  the  door.  A  messenger  bearing  a  card  entered. 
She  turned  toward  him  gravely,  and  he  could  only 
read  dismissal  now.  Mute  and  unhappy,  he  hurried 
from  the  room.  He  did  not,  however,  pass  from  the 
stage  of  activity  he  had  chosen.  He  later  fought  for 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

his  convictions,   and  saw   accomplished,   before,  with 
so  many  other  brave  men,  he  fell  upon  the  field  of  bat 
tle  —  accomplished  at  vast  cost  of  blood  and  tears  - 
that  work  which  he  had  been  inspired  to  undertake  in 
a  more  futile  form. 

"  You  may  say  to  this  gentleman  that  I  shall  join 
him  presently,  in  the  parlor  at  the  right  of  the  stair," 
said  Josephine  St.  Auban  after  a  moment  to  the  mes 
senger. 


352 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

IN    ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

AS  she  entered  the  room,  there  rose  to  meet  her 
a  tall  gentleman,  who  stood  gravely  regarding 
her.  At  sight  of  him  she  paused,  embarrassed.  No 
figure  was  more  familiar  in  Washington,  yet  none  was 
less  to  he  expected  here.  There  was  no  mistaking  the 
large  frame,  the  high  brow,  the  dark  and  piercing 
eye,  the  costume  —  that  of  another  day.  Involuntarily, 
although  her  first  impression  (based  upon  other  meet 
ings  with  distinguished  men)  was  one  more  of  appre 
hension  than  of  pleasure,  she  swept  him  a  deep  curtsy. 
With  the  grace  of  a  courtier  he  extended  a  hand  and 
led  her  to  a  chair. 

"  You  know  me,  Madam?  "  he  demanded,  in  a  deep 
and  bell-like  voice.  "  I  know  you,  as  well.  I  am  de 
lighted,  I  am  honored,  to  announce  that  I  come  to  you 
as  a  messenger." 

"  It  is  an  honor  that  you  come  in  any  capacity,  Sir. 
To  what  may  I  attribute  so  kind  a  visit,  to  one  so  un 
important?  " 

"  No,  no,  my  dear  Countess.  We  rate  you  very 
high.  It  is  the  wish  of  a  certain  gentleman  to  have 
you  attend  a  little  meeting  which  will  not  welcome 

353 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

many  out  of  all  this  city.  It  is  informal  and  unofficial, 
my  dear  lady,  but  all  those  who  will  be  there  will  be 
glad  to  have  your  attendance.  It  was  thought  well  for 
me  to  drop  in  to  interrogate  your  pleasure  in  the  mat 
ter." 

"  It  is  a  command,  Sir !  Very  well,  at  what  time, 
then?" 

"  If  it  should  please  you,  it  would  delight  me  to 
accompany  you  at  once,  my  dear  lady!  My  carriage 
is  waiting  now." 

Josephine  St.  Auban  did  not  lack  decision  upon  her 
own  part.  Something  told  her  that  no  danger  this 
time  lurked  for  her. 

"  Pardon  me  for  just  one  moment  then,  Sir,"  she 
answered.  A  few  moments  later  she  returned,  better 
prepared  for  the  occasion  with  just  a  touch  to  her 
toilet;  and  with  a  paper  or  two  which  with  some  in 
stinct  she  hastily  snatched  up  from  her  desk.  These 
latter  she  hurriedly  crowded  into  her  little  reticule. 
They  took  the  carriage  and  soon  were  passing  through 
the  streets  toward  the  most  public  portion  of  the  city 
of  Washington. 

They  entered  wide  grounds,  and  drew  up  before  a 
stately  building  which  lay  well  back  from  the  street. 
Entering,  they  passed  through  a  narrow  hall,  thence 
into  a  greater  room,  fitted  with  wide  panels  decorated 
with  many  portraits  of  men  great  in  the  history  of  this 
country.  There  was  a  long  table  in  this  room,  and 
about  it  —  some  of  them  not  wholly  visible  in  the 
rather  dim  light  —  there  were  several  gentlemen.  As 

354 


THEY   ENTERED    WIDE   GROUNDS 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

her  tall  escort  entered  with  a  word  of  announcement, 
all  of  these  rose,  grave  and  silent,  and  courteously 
bowed  to  her.  There  approached  from  the  head  of 
the  room  a  tall,  handsome  and  urbane  gentleman,  who 
came  and  took  her  hand.  He,  some  of  these  others, 
she  could  not  fail  to  know.  She  had  come  hither  with 
out  query  or  comment,  and  she  stood  silent  and  wait 
ing  now,  but  her  heart  was  racing,  her  color  faintly 
rising  in  spite  of  all  her  efforts  to  be  calm. 

"  My  dear  lady,"  he  began,  in  a  voice  whose  low, 
modulated  tones  scarce  could  fail  to  please  any  ear, 
"  I  thank  you  for  your  presence  here.  Will  you  not 
be  seated?  It  is  a  very  great  honor  that  you  give  us, 
and  all  of  these  gentlemen  appreciate  it." 

Josephine  St.  Auban  curtsied  and,  remaining  silent 
and  wondering,  assumed  the  seat  assigned  her,  at  the 
right  hand  of  the  tall  and  grave  gentleman  who  had 
escorted  her  hither,  and  who  now  courteously  handed 
her  to  her  place. 

"  We  meet  absolutely  without  formality,  my  dear 
Madam,"  went  on  the  tall  and  kindly  man  who  had 
greeted  her.  "  What  goes  on  here  is  entirely  unofficial 
and,  as  I  need  not  say,  it  is  altogether  private;  as  you 
will  remember." 

"  You  will  perhaps  pardon  my  diffidence  at  such  a 
time  and  place,  Sir,"  she  began,  at  last.  "  It  is  diffi 
cult  for  me  to  understand  what  small  merit,  or  large 
error,  of  mine  should  bring  me  here." 

"  Madam,  we  wish  that  your  abilities  were  smaller," 
smiled  the  tall  gentleman.  "  That  is  the  very  thing 

356 


of  which  we  wish  to  speak.  It  is  your  activities  which 
have  seemed  to  us  matters  of  concern  —  indeed,  of 
kindly  inquiry,  if  you  do  not  mind.  These  gentlemen, 
I  think,  I  do  not  need  to  introduce.  We  are  all  of 
us  interested  in  the  peace  and  dignity  of  this  country." 

"Have  I  done  anything  against  either?"  asked 
she. 

"  Ah,  you  have  courage  to  be  direct !  In  answer, 
I  must  say  that  we  would  like  to  ask  regarding  a  few 
things  which  seem  to  be  within  your  own  knowledge. 
You,  of  course,  are  not  unaware  of  the  popular  dis 
content  which  exists  on  this  or  the  other  side  of  the 
great  political  question  in  America  to-day.  We  are 
advised  that  you  yourself  have  been  a  traveler  in  our 
western  districts ;  and  it  seemed  to  us  likely  that  you 
might  be  possessed  of  information  regarding  matters 
there  of  which  we  get  only  more  interested,  more 
purely  partisan,  reports." 

"  That  is  not  impossible,"  was  her  guarded  reply. 
"It  is  true,  I  have  talked  with  some  in  that  part  of 
the  country." 

"  You  were  witness  of  the  anxiety  of  our  attempt 
to  keep  war  and  the  talk  of  it  far  in  the  background, 
—  our  desire  to  preserve  the  present  state  of  peace." 

"  Assuredly.  But,  Sirs,  you  will  forgive  me, —  I  do 
not  believe  peace  will  last.  I  thought  so,  until  this 
very  day.  In  my  belief,  now,  there  will  be  war.  It 
can  not  be  averted." 

"  We  are  glad  to  hear  the  belief  of  all,  on  all  sides," 
was  the  courteous  rejoinder.  "  We  ourselves  hope  the 

357 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

compromise  to  be  more  nearly  final.  Perhaps  you  as 
well  as  others  hold  to  the  so-called  doctrine  of  the 
'  higher  law  '  ?  Perhaps  you  found  your  politics  in 
Rousseau's  Nouvelle  Hclo'ise,  rather  than  in  the  more 
sober  words  of  our  own  Constitution?"  His  eyes 
were  quizzical,  yet  not  unkind. 

"  Certain  doctrines  seem  to  endure,"  was  her  stout 
answer,  kindling.  "  I  am  but  a  woman,  yet  I  take  it 
that  anything  that  I  can  say  will  have  no  value  unless 
it  shall  be  sincere.  To  me,  this  calm  is  something 
which  can  not  endure." 

"  There  at  least  do  not  lack  others  who  are  of  that 
belief.  But  why?" 

'  They  told  me  in  the  West  that  the  South  has  over 
three  million  slaves.  They  told  me  that  the  labor  of 
more  than  seven  million  persons,  black  and  white,  is 
controlled  by  less  than  a  third  of  a  million  men ;  and 
of  all  that  third  of  a  million,  less  than  eight  thousand 
practically  represent  the  owners  of  these  blacks,  who 
do  not  vote.  Gentlemen,  I  have  been  interested  in  the 
cause  of  democracy  in  Europe  —  I  do  not  deny  it  - 
yet  it  seems  to  me  an  oligarchy  and  not  a  democracy 
which  exists  in  the  American  South.  The  conflict  be 
tween  an  oligarchy  and  a  natural  democracy  is  ages 
old.  It  does  not  die.  It  seems  to  me  that  there  is  the 
end  of  all  compromise  —  in  the  renewed  struggle 
of  men,  all  over  the  world,  to  set  up  an  actual  govern 
ment  of  their  own, —  not  an  oligarchy,  not  a  monarchy, 
not  of  property  and  wealth,  but  of  actual  democracy. 
It  must  come,  here,  some  day." 

358 


IN  ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

"  It  is  unusual,  my  dear  lady,  to  find  one  of  your 
sex  disposed  to  philosophy  so  deep  and  clear  as  your 
own.  You  please  us.  Will  you  go  on  ?  " 

"  Sir,  your  courtesy  gives  me  additional  courage," 
was  her  answer.  "  You  have  asked  me  for  my  beliefs 
—  and  I  do  not  deny  that  I  have  some  of  my  own,  some 
I  have  sought  to  put  in  practice.  To  me,  another  phase 
of  this  question  lies  in  something  which  the  South 
itself  seems  not  to  have  remembered.  The  South 
figures  that  the  cost  of  a  laboring  man,  a  slave,  is 
perhaps  a  thousand  or  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  The 
South  pays  the  cost  of  rearing  that  man.  Any  nation 
pays  the  cost  of  bringing  up  a  human  being.  Yet, 
within  this  very  year,  Europe  has  sent  into  the  North 
and  into  the  West  a  third  of  a  million  of  men  already 
reared,  already  paid  for.  Sir,  you  ask  me  what  will 
be  the  result  of  this  discontent,  the  result  of  this  com 
promise.  It  seems  to  me  plainly  written  in  those  two 
facts  —  industrial,  not  political  facts.  The  '  finality  ' 
of  this  compromise,  its  final  issue,  will  be  established 
by  conditions  with  which  laws  or  their  enforcement 
have  little  to  do.  Yet  statesmen  try  to  solve  such  a 
question  by  politics.  I  myself  at  one  time  thought 
it  could  endure  —  but  only  if  all  the  blacks  were 
bought,  paid  for  and  deported,  to  make  room  for  those 
who  come  at  no  cost  to  us.  I  thought  for  a  time  it 
could  be  done.  I  have  tried  to  do  it.  I  have  failed. 
I  do  not  think  others  will  follow  in  my  attempt." 

"  We  have  not  undervalued,  Madam,  either  the  bril 
liance  or  the  profundity  of  your  own  active  intellect! 

359 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

What  you  say  is  of  interest.  We  already  have  fol 
lowed  with  profound  interest  your  efforts.  Your 
words  here  justify  our  concern  in  meeting  you.  This  is 
perhaps  the  first  time  in  our  history  when  a  woman  has 
been  asked  to  meet  those  most  concerned  in  even  so  in 
formal  an  assemblage  as  this,  at  precisely  this  place." 

There  were  gravity  and  dignity  in  his  words.  The 
majesty  of  a  government,  the  dignity  of  even  the 
simplest  and  most  democratic  form  of  government,  the 
unified  needs,  the  concentrated  wish  of  many  millions 
expressed  in  the  persons  of  a  few, —  these  are  the 
things  which  can  not  fail  to  impress  even  the  most 
ignorant  and  insensitive  as  deeply  as  the  most  extrava 
gant  pageantry  of  the  proudest  monarchy.  They  did 
not  fail  to  impress  Josephine  St.  Auban,  brilliant  and 
audacious  thinker  though  she  was,  and  used  to  the 
pomp  of  Old  World  courts.  At  once  she  felt  al 
most  a  sense  of  fright,  of  terror.  The  silence  of  these 
other  gentlemen,  so  able  to  hold  their  peace,  came  to 
her  mind  writh  the  impress  of  some  mighty  power.  She 
half  shrank  back  into  her  chair. 

"  Madam,  you  have  no  need  of  fear,"  broke  in  the 
deep  voice  of  the  gentleman  who  had  escorted  her 
thither,  and  who  now  observed  her  perturbation. 
"  We  shall  not  harm  you  —  I  think  not  even  criticize 
you  seriously.  Our  wish  is  wholly  for  your  own 
good." 

"  Assuredly,"  resumed  the  first  speaker.  "  That  is 
the  wish  of  all  my  friends  here.  But  let  us  come  now 
to  the  point.  Madam,  to  be  frank  with  you,  you  have, 

360 


IN  ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

as  we  just  have  said,  been  much  concerned  of  late  with 
attempts  at  the  colonization  and  deportation  of  negroes 
from  this  country.  You  at  least  have  not  hesitated 
to  undertake  a  work  which  has  daunted  the  imagination 
of  our  ablest  minds.  Precisely  such  was  once  my  own 
plan.  My  counselors  dissuaded  me.  I  lacked  your 
courage." 

'  There  seemed  no  other  way,"  she  broke  in  hur 
riedly,  her  convictions  conquering  her  timidity.  "  I 
wanted  so  much  to  do  something  —  not  alone  for  these 
blacks  —  but  something  for  the  good  of  America,  the 
good  of  the  world.  And  I  failed,  to-day." 

"  The  work  of  the  Colonization  Society  has  gone  on 
for  many  years,"  gently  insisted. the  first  speaker,  rais 
ing  a  hand,  "  and  made  it  no  serious  complications. 
Your  own  work  has  been  much  bolder,  and,  to  be  frank, 
there  have  been  complications.  Oh,  we  do  not  criticize 
you.  On  the  contrary,  we  have  asked  your  presence 
here  that  we  might  understandingly  converse  on  these 
things  to  which  you  have  given  so  much  attention." 

"  If  I  have  erred,"  she  ventured,  "  it  has  been  done 
within  the  limitations  of  human  wisdom ;  yet  my  convic 
tions  were  absolutely  sincere  —  at  least  I  may  assure 
you  of  so  much.  I  have  not  wished  to  break  any  law, 
to  violate  convictions  on  either  side.  I  only  wanted 
to  do  some  good  in  the  world." 

"  We  are  quite  sure,  my  dear  lady,  that  the  senti 
ments  of  your  mind  are  precisely  those  of  our  own. 
But  perhaps  you  may  be  less  aware  than  ourselves  of 
complications  which  may  rise.  Our  friend  who  sits 

361 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

by  you  has  found  occasion  to  write  again  in  unmeasured 
terms  to  the  representatives  of  Austria.  We  are  ad 
vised  of  your  affiliations  with  the  Hungarian  move 
ment  —  in  short,  we  are  perhaps  better  advised  of  your 
movements  than  you  yourself  are  aware.  We  know 
of  these  blacks  which  have  been  purchased  and  de 
ported  by  your  agents,  but  we  also  know  that  large 
numbers  of  slaves  have  been  enticed  away  from  their 
owners,  that  whole  plantations  have  been  robbed  of 
their  labor,  and  this  under  the  protection  —  indeed, 
under  the  very  name  —  of  this  attempt  which  you  have 
set  on  foot.  Has  this  been  done  by  your  knowledge, 
Madam?  I  anticipate  your  answer.  I  am  sure  that 
it  has  not." 

"  No!  No!  "  she  rejoined.  "  Assuredly,  no!  That 
is  a  matter  entirely  without  my  knowledge.  You 
shock  me  unspeakably  by  this  news.  I  have  not  heard 
of  it.  I  should  be  loath  to  believe  it !  I  have  spent  my 
own  funds  in  this  matter,  and  I  have  told  my  own 
agents  to  do  nothing  in  the  slightest  contravention  of 
the  laws." 

"  None  the  less,  these  things  have  been  done,  my 
dear  lady.  They  have  awakened  the  greatest  feeling 
in  the  South  —  a  feeling  of  animosity  which  extends 
even  to  the  free  colonies  of  blacks  which  have  been 
established.  The  relations  between  the  two  great  sec 
tions  of  this  country  are  already  strained  sufficiently. 
We  deprecate,  indeed  we  fear,  anything  which  may 
cause  a  conflict,  an  outbreak  of  sectional  feeling." 

"  Gentlemen,   you   must   believe   me,"    she   replied, 
362 


IN  ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

firmly  and  with  dignity,  "  I  have  been  as  ignorant  as  I 
am  innocent  of  any  such  deeds  on  the  part  of  my  agents. 
While  I  do  not  agree  that  any  human  being  can  be  the 
property  of  another,  I  will  waive  that  point ;  and  I 
have  given  no  aid  to  any  undertaking  which  contem 
plated  taking  from  any  man  what  he  himself  considered 
to  be  his  property,  and  what  the  laws  of  the  land  ac 
corded  him  as  his  property.  My  undertaking  was 
simply  intended  as  a  solution  of  all  those  difficulties  — • 
for  both  sides,  and  justly  - 

"  Madam,  I  rejoice  to  hear  those  words, —  rejoice 
beyond  measure !  They  accord  entirely  with  the  opin 
ion  we  have  formed  of  you." 

"  Then  you  have  watched  me!  —  I  have  been  — 
'  This  is  a  simple  and  democratic  country,  Madam," 
was  the  quiet  answer,  although  perhaps  there  might 
have  been  the  trace  of  a  smile  on  the  close-set  mouth 
of  the  speaker.  "  We  do  not  spy  on  any  one.  Your 
acts  have  been  quite  within  public  knowledge.  You 
yourself  have  not  sought  to  leave  them  secret.  Should 
these  facts  surprise  you?" 

"  They  almost  terrify  me.     What  have  I  done!  " 
*  There  is  no  need  of  apprehension  on  your  part. 
Let  us  assure  you  of  that  at  once.     We  are  glad  that 
you,  whom  we  recognize  as  the  moving  spirit  in  this 
deportation  enterprise,  have  not  sanctioned  certain  of 
the  acts  of  your  agents.     There  was  one  —  a  former 
army  officer  —  with  whom  there  labored  a  revolution 
ist,  a  German,  recently  from  Europe.     Is  it  not  so  ?  " 
"  It  is  true,"  she  assented.     "  They  were  my  chief 
363 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

agents.  But  as  for  that  officer,  this  country  has  none 
more  eager  to  offer  his  sword  to  the  flag  when  the 
time  shall  come.  I  am  sure  it  is  but  his  zeal  which 
has  caused  offense.  I  would  plead  for  his  reinstate 
ment.  He  may  have  been  indiscreet." 

"  We  shall  listen  to  what  you  say.  But  in  addition 
to  these,  there  was  a  former  slave  girl,  who  has  been 
somewhat  prominent  in  meetings  which  these  two  have 
carried  on  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  In  the 
words  of  the  southern  press,  this  girl  has  been  used 
as  a  decoy." 

"  Lily !  "  exclaimed  Josephine.  "  It  must  have  been 
she !  Yes,  I  had  such  a  person  in  my  employ  —  in 
very  humble  capacity.  But,  Sir,  I  assure  you  I  have 
not  seen  her  for  more  than  two  months.  I  had  sup 
posed  her  busy  with  these  others  on  the  lecture  plat 
form." 

"  She  is  not  now  so  engaged,"  interrupted  a  voice 
from  the  shadows  on  the  other  side  of  the  table. 

"  Then  she  has  been  arrested?  "  demanded  Josephine. 

'  That  is  not  the  term ;  yet  it  is  true  that  she  sailed 
on  one  of  your  owrn  colonization  ships  last  week.  Her 
fortune  will  lie  elsewhere  hereafter.  It  was  her  own 
wish." 

A  sudden  sense  of  helplessness  smote  upon  Josephine 
St.  Auban.  Here,  even  in  this  republic,  were  great 
and  silent  powers  with  which  the  individual  needed 
to  contend.  Absorbed  for  the  time  in  that  which  was 
nearest  her  heart,  she  had  forgotten  her  own  fortunes. 
Now  she  suddenly  half  rose  for  the  first  time. 

364 


"MY  OWN  WORK  is  AT  AN  END" 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  But,  gentlemen,"  said  she,  as  she  held  out  in  her 
hand  some  papers  which  crackled  in  her  trembling 
grasp, — "  after  all,  we  are  at  cross  purposes.  This  is 
not  necessary.  My  own  work  is  at  an  end,  already! 
This  very  morning  it  came- to  an  end,  and  for  ever. 
Will  you  not  look  at  these  ?  " 

"  How  do  you  mean,  Madam  ?  "  The  tall  grave 
man  near  by  turned  upon  her  his  beetling  brows,  his 
piercing  dark  eyes.  "  Your  work  was  worthy  of  ap 
proval  in  many  ways.  What  has  happened  that  it 
should  cease?  " 

"  This !  "  she  said,  handing  to  him  the  papers  which 
she  held.  "  I  have  a  report  to-day  from  my  agents 
in  Europe.  Gentlemen,  since  I  must  mention  these 
things, —  I  have  been  possessor  of  a  fortune  in  my  own 
name  which  might  have  been  called  considerable.  I 
had  estates  in  France  and  in  Austria.  This  advises 
me  that  my  estates  have  been  confiscated  by  the  gov 
ernments  in  both  countries  —  they  got  word  there,  in 
some  way — " 

"  It  was  Hiilsemann !  "  ejaculated  the  dark  man,  as 
to  himself.  "  Austria's  man  here!  " 

She  went  on:  "  If  I  am  not  welcome  in  this  coun 
try,  whither  shall  I  go?  I  am  an  exile  as  I  stand  be 
fore  you.  I  am  a  widow.  I  have  no  living  kin. 
Moreover,  I  am  an  exile,  impoverished,  as  I  stand. 
My  fortune  has  been  dissipated  —  honestly  so,  gentle 
men;  but  since  it  is  gone,  my  powers  are  at  an  end. 
If  I  have  displeased  you,  I  shall  do  so  no  longer.  Here 
are  my  proofs." 

366 


She  placed  her  papers  in  the  hand  of  her  escort, 
the  nearest  of  these  grave  and  silent  men.  A  nod  from 
the  leader  at  the  head  of  the  table  caused  this  tall  and 
dark  gentleman  to  rise  and  seek  a  place  closer  to  the 
window  in  order  that  he  might  find  better  light  for 
reading.  His  glasses  upon  his  nose,  he  scanned  the 
papers  gravely.  A  sudden  smile  broke  out  upon  his 
face,  so  that  he  passed  a  hand  across  his  face  to  force 
it  back  into  its  usual  lines  of  gravity. 

"  Gentlemen,"  said  he,  at  length,  solemnly,  "  this 
lady  has  been  kind  to  come  to  meet  us,  and  you  all 
are  witness  that  her  dealings  have  been  perfectly  frank 
and  sincere.  I  confess,  however,  I  am  somewhat  puz 
zled  over  this  document  which  she  has  given  me.  I 
presume  we  may  well  mark  it  '  Exhibit  A.'  If  you  do 
not  mind,  I  will  read  it  to  you." 

Slowly,  deliberately,  employing  all  the  tones  of  his 
deep  and  sonorous  voice,  which  before  then  had  thrilled 
audiences  of  thousands  in  every  portion  of  his  country, 
he  read ;  his  face  studiously  turned  away  that  he  might 
not  see  the  dismayed  gestures  of  the  woman  who  had 
handed  him  these  papers : 

"  MY  DEAR  MADAME  : 

"  I  take  in  hand  my  pen  to  tell  you  how  life  goes 
with  us  in  this  locality.  The  business  of  Hector  is 
improved  one  half  this  year.  We  have  green  blinds 
on  all  sides  of  the  house,  and  a  vine  that  grows  also. 
The  mother  of  Hector  is  kind  to  me.  We  have 
abundance  and  peace  at  this  place.  But,  Madame, 
that  which  it  is  which  I  write  you,  there  is  come  but 
now  the  baby  of  Hector  and  myself  Jeanne.  In  all 

367 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

this  locality  there  is  no  baby  like  this.  Madame,  \ve 
have  said  to  name  it  for  yourself,  Josephine  St.  Auban 
Jeanne  Marie  Fournier.  Moreover,  Madame,  it  is  ad 
vise  that  for  a  baby  so  remarkable  a  godmother  is 
necessary.  I  take  my  pen  in  hand  to  inquire  of 
madame  whether  in  the  kindness  of  her  heart  madame 
could  come  to  see  us  and  be  present  at  this  christening 
of  this  child  most  extraordinary.  I  have  the  assurance 
also  of  Hector  that  the  remarkable  qualities  of  this 
baby  will  warrant  the  presence  of  madame.  A  reply 
poste  restante,  address  on  St.  Genevieve  in  Missouri, 
will  arrive  to  your  faithful  and  obedient  servant, 

"  JEANNE." 

Before  this  singular  document  had  been  half  con 
cluded  there  were  sounds  of  shifting  chairs,  bursts  of 
stifled  laughter.  The  tall  grave  man  nevertheless  went 
on,  solemnly  finishing  this  communication.  As  for 
Josephine,  she  had  shrunk  back  in  her  chair,  knowing 
not  which  way  to  turn. 

"  Sirs,"  concluded  the  gentleman  who  now  occupied 
the  floor,  "  while  I  do  not  find  full  confirmation  herein 
of  all  the  statements  this  lady  has  made  to  us,  I  do 
discover  this  document  to  be  not  without  interest. 
At  its  close,  I  find  in  a  different  handwriting  - 
Madam,  may  I  guess  it  to  be  your  own  ?  —  the  adden 
dum  —  let  me  see, —  Ah,  yes,  it  says  merely  two  words : 
'The  darling!'" 

He  approached,  and  laid  just  the  lightest,  gentlest 
hand  upon  the  shoulder  of  the  disturbed  woman,  who 
sat  speechless,  her  face  suffused.  "  Your  documents 

368 


IN  ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

are  regular,  Madam,"  he  said  kindly.  "  As  for  this 
other,  which  perhaps  was  the  one  you  intended  me  to 
read,  that  is  private  matter.  It  is  not  necessary  even 
for  myself  to  read  it.  There  will  be  no  further  ex 
hibits  in  this  case.  I  am  sure  that  I  voice  the  feeling 
of  every  gentleman  present  here  however,  Madam,  if 
I  say  that  although  we  have  not  curiosity  as  to  the 
terms  of  this  communication,  we  have  deep  regret  over 
its  advices  to  you.  If  your  fortunes  have  been  ruined, 
they  have  been  ruined  in  a  cause  in  which  a  kind  heart 
and  an  active  brain  were  deeply  enlisted.  You  have 
our  regrets." 

"  Sir !  "  He  turned  now  toward  the  tall  gentleman 
who  sat  silent  at  the  head  of  the  table.  "  I  am  sure 
there  is  no  further  need  for  this  lady's  attendance  here. 
For  my  own  part,  I  thank  her.  She  has  offered  us 
no  remedy,  I  fear.  In  turn,  there  seems  none  we  can 
extend  to  her." 

"  Wait  a  moment !  "  interrupted  a  voice  from  the 
opposite  side  of  the  table. 

The  leader  shifted  in  his  seat  as  he  turned  toward 
Josephine  St.  Auban.  "  This  is  the  gentleman  from 
Kentucky,"  he  said.  "  We  usually  find  his  words  of 
interest.  Tarry,  then,  for  just  a  moment  longer." 

A  tall  figure  was  visible  in  the  half  light,  as  the 
clear  voice  of  the  gentleman  so  described  went  on. 

"  Sir,  and  gentlemen,  there  is  no  Kentuckian, —  no, 
nor  any  man  from  any  other  state  here  present  —  who 
could  suffer  this  matter  to  conclude  just  as  it  is  now. 

369 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

This  is  not  all.  This  matter  but  begins.  We  have 
invited  to  attend  us  a  lady  whose  activities  we  con 
sidered  dangerous, —  that  is  the  plain  truth  of  it,  and 
we  all  know  it,  and  she  may  know  it.  Instead  of  that, 
we  find  here  with  us  now  a  woman  in  distress.  Which 
of  us  would  have  the  courage  to  endure  with  equal 
equanimity  that  which  she  faces  now  ?  It  has  already 
been  said  here  that  we  have  been  not  unmindful  of 
the  plans  of  this  lady,  not  wholly  unacquainted  with 
her  history.  We  know  that  although  a  revolutionist 
at  heart,  an  alien  on  our  shores,  her  purposes  have  been 
clean,  have  been  noble.  Would  to  God  we  had  more 
such  in  our  own  country!  But  now,  in  a  plan  which 
has  proved  wholly  futile  before  her  time,  which  would 
prove  futile  after  it,  even  though  backed  by  the  wealth 
of  a  nation, —  she  has  failed,  not  to  our  ruin,  but  to  her 
own. 

"  It  is  not  without  my  knowledge  that  this  lady  at 
one  time,  according  to  popular  report,  was  asked  to 
undertake  a  journey  which  later  resulted  in  consider 
able  personal  inconvenience,  not  to  say  indignity,  to 
herself.  Is  there  no  way,  gentlemen,  in  which,  espe 
cially  in  consideration  of  her  present  material  circum 
stances,  this  government  —  I  mean  to  say  this  country 
—  can  make  some  amends  for  that  ?  " 

"  Madam,"  began  the  leader  at  the  head  of  the  table, 
"  I  did  not  predict  wrongly  regarding  our  friend  from 
Kentucky ;  but  in  reply  to  him,  I  myself  must  say,  as 
I  have  already  said,  we  are  but  a  simple  republic, — 
all  our  acts  must  be  open  and  known.  What  special 

370 


IN  ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

fund,  my  dear  sir,"-  -  this  to  the  speaker,  who  still  re 
tained  his  position, — "  in  what  manner,  indeed,  could 
this  be  arranged  ?  " 

"  In  the  easiest  way  in  the  world,"  rejoined  the  Ken- 
tuckian.  "  This  lady,  whatever  be  her  nationality,  is 
at  heart  much  identified  with  the  cause  of  Hungary, 
which  she  has  been  so  good  as  to  confuse  with  our 
own  cause  here  in  America.  Her  idea  is  to  advance 
democracy  —  and  to  advance  pure  nationalism.  Very 
well.  We  have  already  invited  Louis  Kossuth  to  come 
to  America  as  the  guest  of  this  country.  Even  now 
one  of  the  vessels  of  our  navy  is  approaching  his  port 
of  exile  in  Turkey  to  carry  him  hither.  In  the  enter 
tainment  of  Louis  Kossuth  large  sums  of  money  will 
be  —  and  it  is  proper  that  they  should  be  —  expended. 
The  people  demand  it.  The  dignity  of  this  nation 
must  be  maintained.  Popular  approval  will  meet  the 
proper  expenditures  for  any  such  entertainment. 

"  Now  then,  gentlemen," —  and  he  raised  an  argu 
mentative  forefinger, — "  there  must  be  committees  of 
entertainment ;  there  must  be  those  able  to  interpret, 
those  competent  to  arrange  large  plans,  and  to  do  so 
courteously,  with  dignity."  He  bowed  toward  the 
somewhat  dejected  figure  of  the  only  woman  present, 
who  scarce  ventured  to  raise  her  eyes  to  his,  startled 
as  she  was  by  the  sudden  turn  of  events. 

"  Now,  Sir,  we  all  understand  this  is  wholly  unoffi 
cial  and  informal ;  we  understand  that  there  is  no 
special  fund  which  could  be  devoted  to  any  such  pur 
pose  as  I  have  suggested  —  unless  it  were  precisely  this 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

fund  for  the  Kossuth  entertainment!  Gentlemen,  it 
is  not  the  part  of  a  host  to  set  a  limit  upon  the  visit 
of  a  guest.  It  is  my  belief  that  Kossuth  will  remain 
on  these  shores  for  at  least  ten  years,  and  that  he  will 
need  entertainment  for  each  of  those  ten  years  at 
least ! "  A  gentle  applause  met  this  speech.  The 
speaker  himself  smiled  as  he  went  on. 

"  For  a  competent  committee  head,  charged  with 
the  duty  of  making  that  entertainment  gracious  and 
dignified  and  worthy  alike  of  the  Old  World  and  the 
New,  I  should  think  that  an  annual  expenditure  of,  say, 
eight  thousand  or  ten  thousand  dollars,  would  not  be 
inadequate !  If  this  lady,  whose  kind  heart  and  bril 
liant  mind,  as  our  honored  friend  has  said,  both  have 
been  shown  before  us  to-day, —  if  she  would  agree, — 
if  she  would  accept, —  some  such  provision  as  this  from 
this  fund,  I  am  entirely  clear  in  my  own  mind  as  to 
both  the  wisdom  and  the  absolute  propriety  of  extend 
ing  this  offer  to  her !  " 

He  sat  down.  Laughter  and  applause  met  his  re 
marks.  Thus,  and  gallantly,  did  Kentucky  make 
amends. 

"  Madam,"  at  length  interrogated  the  tall  man  at  the 
head  of  the  table,  bending  upon  her  his  gaze,  as  did  all 
these  other  grave  figures  present,—  "  provided  this  mat 
ter  might  be  arranged,  would  it  be  within  your  pleas 
ure  to  accept  some  such  remuneration  as  that,  for  serv 
ices  which  should  be  given  quite  within  your  wishes? 
I  need  not  say,"  he  added,  turning  his  gaze  along  each 
side  of  the  long  table,  "  that  this  is  something  which, 


IN  ACKNOWLEDGMENT 

in  view  of  all  circumstances,  to  me  also  seems  quite 
within  dignity,  decency  and  absolute  public  propriety." 

But  Josephine  St.  Auban  could  make  no  reply.  Her 
face  was  hidden  in  her  hands,  and  only  her  heaving 
shoulders  showed  the  sudden  emotion  which  had  swept 
upon  her  overstrained  soul.  At  last  she  felt  a  gentle 
hand  touch  hers.  She  raised  her  head  as,  one  after 
another,  these  men  approached,  each  extending  his  hand 
to  her  and  bowing  in  salutation.  Presently  the  room 
was  deserted. 

In  the  hall  the  gentleman  from  Kentucky  passed  his 
arm  within  that  of  a  tall  man,  obviously  from  the 
North. 

"  I  have  just  got  word  within  the  week  of  the  ar 
rival  of  a  daughter  at  my  own  home  out  in  Kentucky," 
said  he.  "  I  am  in  a  position  to  understand  all  and 
several  the  statements  in  Exhibit  A,  my  dear  Sir! 
'  The  darling ! ' 

"  But  what  a  woman, —  what  a  woman !  "  he  went 
on  meditatively.  "Sir,  if  I  were  a  single  man,  as 
I  am  a  married  man,  I  should  offer  to  her,  upon  the 
spot,  a  union,  now  and  for  ever,  one  and  inseparable !  " 


373 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

IN    OLD    ST.    GENEVIEVE 

IT  was  the  daily  custom  of  Hector  to  be  upon  hand 
at  the  dock  for  the  landing  of  each  and  every 
steamer  which  touched  at  St.  Genevieve,  bound  either 
up  or  down  the  Mississippi,  and  his  business  of  cooper 
age  never  was  allowed  to  infringe  upon  these  more 
important  duties.  Accordingly,  on  a  certain  day  late 
in  the  winter,  although  he  had  no  special  reason  to  be 
present,  Hector  was  among  those  who  waited  for  the 
boat  to  land,  with  no  purpose  more  definite  than  that 
of  giving  a  hand  with  her  line  at  a  snubbing  post.  He 
was  much  surprised  when  he  saw  coming  from  the 
gang-plank,  and  beckoning  to  him,  a  distinguished  and 
handsomely  clad  lady.  For  an  instant,  abashed,  he 
could  find  no  speech;  then  suddenly  he  jerked  off  his 
cap,  and  stood  smiling. 

"It  is  Madame!"  he  exclaimed.  "Ah,  bon  jour! 
Bon  jour!  Ah,  c'est  Madame!" 

"  Yes,"  rejoined  Josephine  St.  Auban,  "  it  is  I. 
And  I  am  glad  to  see  St.  Genevieve  again,  and  you, 
Monsieur  Hector.  Tell  me, —  ah,  about  that  infant, 
that  baby  of  ours !  " 

374 


IN  OLD  ST.  GENEVIEVE 

"  Madame,  believe  me,  there  is  none  such  in  all  the 
valley !  Come  !  " 

It  was  a  proud  and  happy  Jeanne  who  greeted  her 
former  mistress  at  the  little  cottage  with  the  green 
blinds,  and  the  ivy,  which  lay  close  upon  the  street  of 
St.  Genevieve, —  Jeanne,  perhaps  a  trifle  more  fleshy,  a 
shade  more  French  and  a  touch  less  Parisian  in  look, 
more  mature  and  maternal,  yet  after  all,  Jeanne,  her 
former  maid.  Woman  fashion,  these  two  now  met, 
not  without  feminine  tears,  and  forgetful  of  late  dif 
ference  in  station,  although  Jeanne  dutifully  kissed  the 
hand  held  out  to  her.  The  first  coherent  speech,  as  in 
the  case  of  Hector,  was  regarding  this  most  extraor 
dinary  infant,  whose  arrival  seemed  to  be  thus  far  re 
garded  as  a  matter  of  national  importance.  In  this 
view  also  shared  Madame  Fournier  the  elder,  mother 
of  Hector,  who  also  presently  welcomed  the  new-comer 
to  the  home. 

A  strange  feeling  of  relief,  of  rest  and  calm,  came 
over  Josephine  St.  Auban,  a  lady  of  rank  in  another 
world,  where  an  incident  such  as  this  could  not  have 
been  conceived.  Here  it  seemed  not  only  possible  but 
covetable.  The  first  babble  of  congratulations  and 
greetings  over,  she  settled  down  to  the  quiet  of  the 
room  assigned  to  her,  and  gave  a  sigh  as  of  one  who  at 
last  finds  harborage.  If  only  this  might  go  on  for 
ever!  If  only  the  street  might  always  be  thus  silent, 
the  roof  thus  sheltering,  the  greetings  of  simple  friends 
thus  comforting!  She  made  no  plans  for  herself,  no 
announcement  to  others  of  possible  plans.  It  was 

375 


WOMAN  FASHION,  THESE  TWO  NOW   MET 


IN  OLD  ST.  GENEVIEVE 

enough  to  remain  thus,  for  a  night  at  least.  She  was 
very  weary,  body  and  soul.  The  pathetic  droop  at 
the  corners  of  her  brave  gay  mouth  must  have  brought 
sympathy  to  any  who  had  known  her  earlier. 

"  We  are  not  rich,  Madame  Countess,"  said  Hector 
the  next  morning  at  the  breakfast  table,  "  but,  my 
faith,  it  is  not  so  bad  here.  We  have  not  much  to 
offer  Madame,  but  such  as  it  is,  it  is  quite  hers.  With 
what  riches  could  she  produce  a  hen  to  lay  eggs  more 
perfect  than  those  which  madame  beholds  this  morn 
ing?  They  are  the  eggs  of  Mildred,  our  most  special 
hen.  And  this  cream,  it  is  from  our  cow  Suzanne, 
whose  like  one  does  not  find  in  any  land  for  docility 
and  amiability  of  disposition.  Our  roof  is  small,  but 
it  is  ours.  We  have  a  yard  so  large  as  forty  feet  to 
the  street  yonder.  What  more  does  one  demand  for 
flowers  or  for  the  onion  with  green  top  in  the  spring? 
The  couch  of  madame,  was  it  not  soft?  Yes?  It  is 
from  fowls  of  this  very  valley.  That  scene  from  the 
window  there,  is  it  not  beautiful?  Oh,  very  well! 
Others  may  possess  in  greater  abundance  than  we,  but 
as  for  myself,  my  business  of  the  cooperage  prospers, 
—  behold  my  excellent  wife  Jeanne,  yonder, —  and  this 
daughter  of  ours!  What  more  could  human  being 
ask?" 

Time  and  again,  Josephine  found  herself  repeating 
this  same  question, —  What  more  could  be  asked  than 
this?  What  more  did  the  great  world  offer?  It  had 
not  offered  her,  long  used  to  luxury,  so  much  as  this. 

377 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

To  Hector  at  this  moment  she  made  evasive  answer. 
"  I  could  willingly  tarry  with  you  always,  Hector," 
said  she,  "  if  that  were  right." 

"  Right?  "  demanded  Hector,  swelling  out  his  chest, 
"  Why  is  it  not  right  ?  "  He  doubled  up  a  mighty 
arm  to  show  where  the  muscles  rose  upon  it.  "  See, 
I  am  strong !  What  is  one  more  mouth  to  feed  - 
could  it  even  come  to  that  for  one  of  madame's  wealth  ? 
Madame  but  jests.  Did  not  madame  bring  me  that 
Jeanne  there?  Ah,  if  only  it  were  right  for  her  to 
linger  with  us,  how  happy  w:e  should  be !  Madame  is 
a  noblewoman,  we  are  but  poor;  yet  she  has  honored 
us.  Very  well,  then,  what  good  to  wonder  about  the 
future?  Madame  is  rich,  that  is  true.  Suppose  even 
she  were  poor,  would  it  not  be  possible  for  madame 
to  settle  down  here  in  St.  Genevieve,  and  to  teach  the 
language  of  France  —  far  better,  to  teach  the  English 
to  these  ignorant  French  ?  " 

The  sturdy  speech  of  the  fresh-looking,  good- 
hearted  fellow,  touched  the  heart  of  a  woman  so  world 
weary.  For  a  time  she  said  nothing  of  plans,  even 
to  herself.  It  was  not  long  before  the  baby  of  Jeanne 
found  a  place  upon  her  knee,  and  Jeanne  herself, 
though  jealous,  was  willing  to  surrender  her  dearest 
rights,  at  least  for  a  time. 

But  always  the  eyes  of  this  world  weary  woman 
were  lifted  up  to  the  hills.  She  found  herself  gazing 
out  beyond  the  street  of  St.  Genevieve,  toward  the 
Ozarks,  where  once  she  had  traveled  —  true,  against 
her  will,  but  yet  through  scenes  which  she  now  remem- 

378 


IN  OLD  ST.  GENEVIEVE 

bered.  And  always  there  came  up  in  her  mind  a  ques 
tion  which  she  found  no  way  to  ask.  It  was  Jeanne 
herself  who,  either  by  divination  or  by  blunder,  brought 
up  the  matter. 

"  Madame  remembers  that  man  yonder,  that  savage, 
Dunwodee?"  she  began,  apropos  of  nothing.  "That 
savage  most  execrable,  who  was  so  unkind  to  madame 
and  myself  —  but  who  made  love  so  fiercely?  I  de 
clare,  Madame,  I  believe  it  was  Monsieur  Dunwodee 
set  me  listening  to  Hector !  Eh,  bien!  " 

They  were  sitting  near  the  window,  looking  out 
upon  the  bleak  prospect  of  the  winter  woods.  For 
the  time  Josephine  made  no  comment,  and  Jeanne  went 
on. 

"  He  has  at  last,  thank  heavens,  come  to  justice. 
Is  it  not  true  that  human  beings  find  ever  their  de 
serts?" 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Jeanne?  " 

"  Of  the  Congress  of  this  state,  where  he  is  so  long 
a  member,  he  is  now  not  a  member.  He  has  fail',  he 
has  been  defeat'." 

"  I  thought  he  was  sure  of  reelection  so  long  as 
he  chose,"  commented  Josephine,  with  feigned  indiffer 
ence. 

"  There  is  talk  —  I  do  not  understand  these  matters 
—  that  he  has  change'  his  coat,  as  one  says,  and  gone 
over  to  the  side  of  that  man  Benton.  Yet  one  says 
that  Benton  was  always  his  enemy !  Me,  I  do  not  un 
derstand.  I  have  the  baby." 

"What  is  that  you  tell  me?"  suddenly  demanded 
379 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Josephine.  "  That  Mr.  Dunwody  has  changed  his 
political  beliefs  —  that  he  has  become  Free  Soiler?" 

Jeanne  nodded.  "I  think  it  is  so  name'.  I  know 
little  of  such  matters,  naturally.  To  me,  my  infant 
here  is  of  much  more  importance  than  any  question 
of  free  soil.  It  is  possible  in  this  country  that  oue 
day  this  infant  —  were  it  of  opposite  sex  —  might  ar 
rive  to  be  governor  of  this  state  —  who  knows  ?  It  is 
possible,  in  the  belief  of  Hector,  that  this  infant,  were 
it  a  boy,  might  even  become  president  of  this  great 
republic.  Ah,  well,  there  are  hopes.  Who  shall  set 
bounds  to  the  achievement  of  a  child  well  born  in  this 
country  of  America?  Is  it  established  that  Hector  and 
I  may  not,  at  a  later  time,  be  blessed  with  a  son?  Is 
it  established  that  that  son  shall  not  be  president?  Is 
it  not  necessary  that  some  boy  shall  grow  up  to  be  a 
president  ?  Very  well !  Then  who  shall  say  that  a 
child  of  ours,  if  of  a  proper  sex,  Madame,  should  not 
one  day  be  president  of  this  republic?  " 

"  Yes,  yes,  Jeanne !  I  do  not  doubt  that.  But  now 
you  were  speaking  of  Mr.  Dunwody  — 

"  Yes,  that  is  true.  I  was  rejoicing  that  at  last  he 
has  been  defeat',  that  he  has  fail',  that  he  has  met  with 
that  fate  which  should  be  his.  Now  he  has  few 
friends.  It  is  charge'  against  him  — '  well,  Madame, 
perhaps  it  were  as  well  not  to  repeat  all  of  that." 

"  I  can  understand,"  said  Josephine  slowly.  "  I 
can  guess.  Yes,  I  know." 

Jeanne  nodded.  "  Yes,  they  bring  up  stories  that 
at  one  time  you  and  I  —  well,  that  we  were  there  at 

380 


IN  OLD  ST.  GENEVIEVE 

Talhvoods.  But  these  wild  people  here,  who  shoot, 
and  fight  with  knives,  they  are  of  all  peoples  in  the 
world  the  most  strict  and  the  most  moral,  the  most 
abhorrent  of  what  is  not  their  own  custom  of  life.  Be 
hold,  that  droll  Mr.  Bill  Jones,  in  jest  perhaps,  ex 
pressed  to  others  his  belief  that  at  one  time  there  was  a 
woman  conceal'  about  this  place  of  Talhvoods!  Yes! 
Madame  knows  with  what  ground  of  justice  this  was 
said.  Very  well !  The  people  took  it  up.  There  was 
comment.  There  was  criticism.  These  charges  be 
came  public.  It  was  rumored  thus  and  so  in  all  the 
district  of  Mr.  Dunwodee.  He  has  fought  the  duel 
—  oh,  la,  la! 

"  Ah,  well,  as  for  madame,  by  this  time  she  was  far 
away.  None  knew  her  name.  None  doubted  regard 
ing  her.  But  as  for  Mr.  Dunwodee,  he  was  here, — 
he  was  discover' !  Behold  it  all !  At  the  election  he 
was  defeat'.  Most  easily  did  this  happen,  because,  as 
I  have  said,  he  no  longer  was  of  the  same  political 
party  which  formerly  had  chosen  him.  There  you 
have  him.  That  has  come  to  him  which  he  has  de 
serve'  !  " 

The  eyes  of  Josephine  St.  Auban  flashed  with  inter 
est  over  this  intelligence.  "  He  has  changed  his  be 
lief,  his  party !  But  no,  it  is  not  possible  that  he  should 
come, out  for  our  party,  our  cause,  Jeanne, —  our  cause, 
for  the  people  of  the  world  —  for  liberty !  I  wish  I 
might  believe  it.  No.  It  can  not  be  true." 

"  Yet  it  is  true,  Madame.     A  turncoat !     Bah  !  " 

"  No,  Jeanne !     Not  in  the  least  should  you  feel  con- 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

tempt  for  a  man  who  honestly  changes  a  belief.  To 
turn  from  error,  is  not  that  always  wisdom?  " 

But  Jeanne  only  shrugged  her  shoulders,  and  held 
out  her  hands  for  the  baby.  "  It  is  naught  to  me," 
said  she.  "  We  are  happy  here  under  this  roof,  are  we 
not?" 

"  Precisely.  We  are  safe  here.  That  child  yonder 
is  safe  here.  But  how  long  shall  we  be  safe  if  there 
are  not  those  to  keep  this  roof  protected?  The  law, 
Jeanne, —  the  justice,  back  of  the  law, —  are  these 
things  of  no  interest  to  you  ?  " 

"  At  least,  when  it  comes  to  roofs,"  reiterated 
Jeanne.  "  Monsieur  Dunwodee  has  pulled  down  his 
roof  about  his  ear." 

"  Yes !  Yes !  Thank  God  !  And  so  did  Samson 
pull  down  the  pillars  about  him  when  he  had  back  his 
strength !  " 

"  Madame  has  given  me  occasion  to  disappear,"  re 
joined  Jeanne,  with  a  resigned  shrug.  "  I  do  not  al 
ways  find  myself  able  to  follow  the  lofty  thought  of 
madame.  But,  at  least,  for  these  people  of  St. 
Genevieve  there  is  no  doubt.  They  have  argue'  among 
theirself.  The  vote  here  is  against  Monsieur  Dun 
wodee.  He  is  what  one  calls  depose'. 

"  But  then,  Madame,"  she  added  presently,  as  she 
turned  at  the  door,  with  the  baby  on  her  arm,  "  if 
madame  should  wish  to  explore  the  matter  for  herself, 
that  is  quite  possible.  This  night,  perhaps  to-morrow, 
Monsieur  Dunwodee  himself  comes  to  St.  Genevieve. 
He  is  to  meet  the  voters  of  this  place.  He  wishes  to 

382 


GAZING    STEADFASTLY    INTO   THE    GLASS 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

speak,  to  explain.  I  may  say  that,  even,  he  will  have 
the  audacity  to  come  here  to  advocate  the  cause  of 
freedom,  and  the  restriction  of  those  slavery  for  which 
hitherto  he  has  labor'  so  valiant.  Perhaps  there  will 
be  those  who  care  to  listen  to  the  address  of  a  man  of 
no  more  principle.  For  me  and  for  my  husband  Hector 
—  we  do  not  argue.  Hector,  he  is  for  Monsieur  Dun- 
wodee.  Save  as  a  maker  of  love,  Madame,  I  am  not !  " 
Josephine  made  no  immediate  reply.  A  tall  mirror 
with  pretentious  golden  frame  hung-  opposite  to  her 
across  the  room.  A  few  moments  later,  with  a  start, 
she  suddenly  pulled  herself  together,  discovering  that 
she  had  been  gazing  steadfastly  into  the  glass. 


384 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE    TURNCOAT 

IT  was  late  in  the  sunlit  afternoon  when  there  rode 
into  the  head  of  the  street  of  old  St.  Genevieve 
a  weary  and  mud-stained  horseman,  who  presently  dis 
mounted  at  the  hitching  rail  in  front  of  the  little  inn 
which  he  favored  with  his  company.  He  was  a  tall 
man  who,  as  he  turned  down  the  street,  walked  with 
just  the  slightest  trace  of  a  limp. 

This  traveler  did  not  turn  into  the  inn,  did  not  pause, 
indeed,  at  any  of  the  points  of  greater  interest,  but 
sought  out  the  little  cooper  shop  of  Hector  Fournier. 
That  worthy  greeted  him,  wiping  his  hands  upon  his 
leathern  apron. 

"Eh,  bien,  then,  it  is  Monsieur  Dunwodee!  Come 
in !  Come  in !  I'll  been  glad  for  see  you.  There  was 
those  talk  you'll  would  not  came." 

"  Yes,  I  have  come,  Hector,"  said  Dunwody,  "  and 
naturally,  I  have  come  to  see  you  first.  You  are  one 
of  the  few  political  allies  that  I  have  left.  At  least, 
if  you  don't  believe  the  way  I  do,  you  are  generous 
enough  to  listen !  " 

"  But,  Monsieur,  believe  me,  the  situation  here  is 
difficult.  I  had  a  list  here  of  twelve  citizen  of  St. 

385 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

Genevieve  who  were  willing  for  listen  to  Monsieur 
Dunwodee  to-night  in  a  grand  mass  meeting ;  but  now, 
talk  has  gone  out.  There  is  much  indignation.  In 
fact,  it  is  plan'— 

"What  do  you  mean?  What  is  going  on?"  de 
manded  Dunwody. 

"  Alas !  Monsieur,  it  is  with  regret  I  announce  that 
the  majority  of  our  citizen,  who  so  dislike  Monsieur 
Benton  and  his  views,  are  much  in  favor  of  riding  upon 
a  rail,  after  due  treatment  of  the  tar  and  the  feather, 
him  who  lately  was  their  idol ;  that  is  to  say,  yourself, 
Monsieur !  " 

Dunwody,  his  face  grim,  leaned  against  the  door  of 
the  little  shop.  "  So  that  is  the  news?  "  said  he.  "  It 
seems  hardly  generous,  this  reception  of  St.  Gene 
vieve  to  myself!  It  is  too  bad  that  my  friend,  Mr. 
Benton,  is  not  here  to  share  this  hospitality  of  yours !  " 

"  As  I  have  said,  alas !  Monsieur !  " 

"  But,  now,  as  to  that,  Hector,  listen !  "  said  Dun 
wody  sharply.  "  We  will  hold  the  meeting  here  just 
the  same.  We  do  not  run  away!  To-night,  in  front 
of  the  hall  there. 

"  But  why  trouble  about  that  ?  "  he  added,  almost 
lightly.  "  What  comes,  comes.  Now,  as  to  yourself 
and  your  mother  —  and  your  wife  ?  " 

"  And  those  baby !  "  exclaimed  Hector.  "  Assuredly 
monsieur  does  not  forget  the  finest  baby  of  St.  Gene 
vieve?  Come,  you  shall  see  Josephine  St.  Auban 
Jeanne  Marie  Fournier  —  at  once,  tout  de  suite. 
Voild!"  Hector  was  rolling  down  his  sleeves  and 

386 


THE  TURNCOAT 

loosening  the  string  of  his  leathern  apron.  Suddenly 
he  turned. 

"  But,  Monsieur,"  he  said,  "  come,  I  have  news !  It 
is  a  situation  un  pen  difficile;  but  it  can  not  be  concealed, 
and  what  can  not  be  concealed  may  best  be  revealed." 

"What  news?"  asked  Dunwody.  "More  bad 
news?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least,  as  we  of  my  household  regard 
it.  With  monsieur,  I  am  not  so  certain.  It  is 
quelque  chose  un  pcu  difficile,  inais  oui.  But  then  — 
Monsieur  remembers  that  lady,  the  Countess — ?" 

"  Countess  ?     Whom  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Who  but  our  madame,  the  Countess  St.  Auban  in 
her  own  right  ?  She  who  gave  me  my  Jeanne  —  at 
Tallwoods,  Monsieur !  Have  you  not  known  ?  She  is 
here.  She  is  chez  nous.  Of  wealth  and  distinction, 
yes,  she  has  traveled  in  this  country  merely  for  diver- 
tisement  —  but  the  Countess  St.  Auban,  yes,  she  pauses 
now  with  the  cooper,  Hector  Fournier !  Does  one  find 
such  beauty,  such  distinction,  such  gentleness,  such 
kindness,  such  courteousness  elsewhere  than  among  the 
nobility?  " 

"When  did  she  come?"  demanded  Dunwody 
quietly. 

"  But  yesterday,  upon  the  boat ;  without  announce 
ment.  ,  She  is  at  this  very  moment  at  my  house  yon 
der,  busy  with  that  baby,  Josephine  St.  Auban  Jeanne 
Marie  Fournier,  named  for  a  countess!  But  do  not 
turn  back!  Monsieur  himself  has  not  yet  seen  the 
baby.  Come !  "  For  one  moment  Dunwody  paused ; 

387 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

then,  quietly,  he  accompanied  Hector,  making  no  com 
ment.     He    limped    just    slightly.     He    was    older  - 
yes,  and  graver. 

The  mother  of  Hector  met  them  even  before  the 
gate  was  opened.  Her  voice  called  to  the  door  her 
daughter  Jeanne,  who  was  shaking  hands  with  Dun- 
wody  before  he  was  half  way  up  the  walk.  The  ejacu 
lations  of  Jeanne  attracted  yet  another  ear  farther 
within  the  house.  A  moment  later  Dunwody  saw  pass 
before  the  door  a  figure  which  he  recognized,  a  face 
which  called  the  blood  to  his  own  face.  An  instant 
later,  forgetting  everything,  he  was  at  the  door,  had 
her  hands  in  his  own. 

"  It  is  you !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  How  does  it  happen  ? 
It  is  impossible !  " 

Her  face  had  more  color  than  for  days.  "  Yes,  it 
is  unexpected,"  she  said  simply,  at  last.  "  Everything 
is  unexpected.  But  of  all  things  possible,  this  it  seems 
to  me  is  best  —  to  come  here  —  to  rest  for  a  time." 

"  You  are  passing  through  to  St.  Louis  ?  " 

"  Perhaps,"  she  said.  "  My  plans  for  the  moment 
are  somewhat  unsettled.  I  stopped  off  here,  as  no 
doubt  you  know,  to  serve  as  godmother  to  this  baby 
of  Jeanne's !  It  is  an  important  errand." 

"  But  monsieur  has  not  perfectly  examined  this  in 
fant  as  yet,"  interrupted  Hector.  "  See,  it  has  the  eyes 
of  Jeanne, —  it  has  — " 

"  It  is  a  darling!  "  said  Josephine  gently,  and  stroked 
the  somewhat  scanty  hair  of  the  heiress  of  the  Four- 
nier  estates. 

388 


THE  TURNCOAT 

In  some  way,  a  moment  later,  they  were  apart  from 
the  protestations  of  the  fond  parents.  They  found 
themselves  alone,  in  the  special  apartment  reserved  for 
guests  of  distinction.  An  awkward  moment  ensued. 
Josephine  was  first  to  break  the  silence.  Dunwody 
could  only  sit  and  look  at  her,  devouring  each  line, 
each  little  remembered  gesture  of  her.  Yes,  it  was 
she  —  a  little  older  and  graver  and  thinner,  yes.  But 
it  was  she. 

"  I  was  talking  with  Jeanne  this  very  morning,"  she 
said.  "  She  was  telling  me  some  story  that  you  have 
been  unfortunate  —  that  there  have  been  —  that  is  to 
say  —  political  changes  — " 

He  nodded.  "  Yes.  Perhaps  you  know  I  have  lost 
my  place  with  my  people  here  ?  I  am  done  for,  politi 
cally." 

He  continued,  smiling ;  "  Just  to  show  you  the  extent 
of  my  downfall,  I  have  heard  that  they  are  intending 
to  tar  and  feather  me  to-night, —  perhaps  to  give  me 
a  ride  upon  a  rail !  That  is  the  form  of  entertainment 
which  in  the  West  hitherto  has  generally  been  reserved 
for  horse-thieves,  unwelcome  revivalists,  and  that  sort 
of  thing.  Not  that  it  terrifies  me.  The  meeting  is  go 
ing  to  be  held !  " 

"  Then  it  is  true  that  you  are  to  speak  here  to-night 
—  and  to  uphold  doctrines  precisely  the  reverse  of 
what  — " 

"  Yes,  that  is  true."     He  spoke  very  quietly. 

"  I  had  not  thought  that  possible,"  she  said 
gently. 

389 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

"  Of  course,"  she  added,  "  I  have  been  in  entire  igno 
rance  of  all  matters  out  here  for  a  year  past.  I  have 
been  busy." 

"  Why  should  you  follow  the  political  fortunes  of 
an  obscure  Missourian  ?  "  he  asked.  "  On  the  con 
trary,  there  is  at  least  one  obscure  Missourian  who  has 
followed  yours.  I  have  known  pretty  much  all  you 
have  been  doing  of  late.  Yes,  you  at  least  have  been 
busy!" 

As  usual,  she  hung  on  the  main  point.  "  But  tell 
me !  "  she  demanded  of  him  presently,  a  little  added 
color  coming  into  her  cheeks.  "  Do  you  mean  to  say 
to  me  that  you  really  remember  what  we  talked  about 
—  that  you  really  — 

He  nodded,  smiling.  "  Don't  you  remember  we 
talked  about  faith,  and  how  to  get  hold  of  it?  And 
I  said  I  couldn't  find  it?  Well,  I  have  no  apologies 
and  no  explanations.  All  I  have  to  say  is  that  I  fought 
it  out,  threshed  it  all  over,  and  then  somehow,  I  don't 
know  how, —  well,  faith  came  to  me, —  that  is  all.  I 
waked  up  one  night,  and  I  —  well,  I  just  knew. 
That  is  all.  Then  I  knew  I  had  been  wrong." 

"  And  it  cost  you  everything." 

"  Just  about  everything  in  the  world,  I  reckon,  so 
far  as  worldly  goods  go.  I  suppose  you  know  what 
you  and  your  little  colonization  scheme  have  done  to 
me?" 

"  But  you  —  what  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Why,  didn't  you  know  that?  Weren't  Carlisle  and 
Kammerer  your  agents;  and  didn't  Lily,  our  late  dis- 

390 


THE  TURNCOAT 

appearing  slave  and  also  late  lecturing  fugitive  yonder, 
represent  them?  Don't  you  really  know  about  that?  " 

"  No,  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  their  operations." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  it  was  —  Oh,  I  am 
glad  you  do  not  know  about  it,"  he  said  soberly,  "  al 
though  I  don't  understand  that  part  of  it." 

"  Won't  you  explain?  "  she  besought  him. 

"  Now,  the  truth  is  —  and  that  is  the  main  reason 
of  all  this  popular  feeling  against  me  here  —  that  Lily, 
or  these  men,  or  people  like  them,  took  away  every 
solitary  negro  from  my  plantation,  as  well  as  from  two 
or  three  others  neighboring  me!  They  didn't  stop  to 
buy  my  property  —  they  just  took  it !  You  see, 
Madam, "--he  smiled  rather  grimly, — "these  north 
ern  abolitionists  remain  in  the  belief  that  they  have  all 
the  virtue  and  all  the  fair  dealing  in  the  world.  It  has 
been  a' little  hard  on  my  cotton  crop.  I  will  not  have 
any  crop  this  fall.  I  had  no  labor.  I  will  not  have 
any  crop  next  summer.  With  money  at  twelve  per 
cent,  and  no  munificent  state  salary  coming  in, —  that 
means  rather  more  than  I  care  to  talk  about." 

"  And  it  was  I  —  /  who  did  that  for  you !  Be 
lieve,  believe  me,  I  was  wholly  innocent  of  it !  I  did 
not  know !  —  I  did  not !  I  did  not !  I  would  not  have 
done  that  to  my  worst  enemy !  " 

"  No,  I  suppose  not ;  but  here  is  where  we  come 
again  to  the  real  heart  of  all  of  these  questions  which 
so  many  of  us  feel  able  to  solve  offhand.  What  differ 
ence  should  you  make  between  me  and  another?  If 
it  is  right  for  the  North  to  free  all  these  slaves  without 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

paying  for  them,  why  should  there  be  anything  in  my 
favor,  over  any  one  of  my  neighbors?  And,  most  of 
all,  why  should  you  not  be  overjoyed  at  punishing  me? 
Why  am  I  not  your  worst  enemy?  I  differed  from 
you, —  I  wronged  you, —  I  harmed  you, —  I  did 
everything  in  the  world  I  could  to  injure  you.  At 
least  you  have  played  even  with  me.  I  got  you  Lily 
to  take  along.  And  I  even  once  went  so  far  as  to  tell 
you  my  own  notion,  that  the  blacks  ought  to  be  'de 
ported.  Well,  you  got  mine !  " 

"  I  never  meant  it !  I  never  intended  it !  It  was 
done  wholly  without  my  knowledge !  I  am  sorry !  I 
am  sorry !  " 

"  You  need  not  be  sorry.  It  is  only  one  of  the  con 
sequences  of  following  one's  faith.  Anyhow,  I'm 
just  a  little  less  inconsistent  than  Mr.  Benton,  who 
had  always  been  opposed  to  slavery,  although  he  still 
owns  slaves.  The  same  is  true  of  Mr.  Clay.  They 
both  have  been  prominent  politically.  Well,  set  them 
free  of  their  slaves,  and  they  and  I  would  be  about 
even,  wouldn't  we  ?  It  comes  to  being  pretty  much  on 
foot,  I  must  confess." 

"  I  can  understand  that,"  said  she.  "  For  that  mat 
ter,  we  are  both  ruined ;  and  for  the  same  reason." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  And,  tell  me,  once  more, 
who  are  you?  You  certainly  have  stirred  things  up!  " 

"  As  to  the  latter,  it  makes  little  difference,"  said 
she.  "  I  will  confess  to  being  a  revolutionist  and  a 
visionary  reformer;  and  an  absolute  failure.  I  will 
confess  that  I  have  undertaken  things  which  I  thought 

392 


SHE  TURNED,   SPREADING  OUT   HER  HANDS 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

were  within  my  power,  but  which  were  entirely  beyond 
me.     Well,  it  has  ruined  me  also  in  a  material  way." 

"  How,  do  you  mean?  " 

"  This  colonization  work  was  carried  on  by  my  own 
funds.  It  is  not  long  ago  that  I  got  a  letter,  saying 
that  my  funds  were  at  an  end.  I  had  some  small 
estates  in  the  old  country.  They  are  gone, —  confis 
cated.  My  last  rents  were  not  collected." 

She,  in  turn,  smiled,  spreading  out  her  hands. 
;<  You  see  me  here  in  St.  Genevieve,  perhaps  on  my 
way  to  St.  Louis.  Tell  me,  is  there  demand  for  per 
sons  of  foreign  experience,  who  understand  a  little 
French,  a  little  English,  perhaps  a  little  music?  Or 
could  there  perhaps  be  a  place  for  an  interpreter  in 
Hungarian,  French  or  English?" 

It  was  his  turn  to  show  consternation.  "  Is  it  in 
deed  true?  "  he  said.  "  Now  it  is  time  for  me  to  say 
I  am  sorry.  I  do  not  understand  all  about  it.  Of 
course  I  could  see  all  along  that  an  immense  amount  of 
money  was  being  paid  into  this  colonization  folly. 
And  it  was  your  money,  and  you  are  ruined, —  for  the 
same  hopeless  cause !  I  am  sorry,  sorry !  It's  a 
shame,  a  shame !  " 

"I  am  not  sorry,"  said  she.  "  I  am  glad !  It  is 
victory !  " 

"  I  will  not  say  that !  "  he  burst  out.  "  I  will  not 
admit  it,  not  confess  it.  It  is  all  right  for  me,  because 
I'm  a  man.  I  can  stand  it.  But  you  —  you  ought  to 
have  ease,  luxury,  all  your  life.  Now  look  what  you 
have  done !  " 

394 


THE  TURNCOAT 

There  came  a  sudden  knock  at  the  door,  and  with 
out  much  pause,  Hector  entered,  somewhat  excited. 

"  Monsieur, —  Madame !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  One 
comes !  " 

"  Who  is  it?  "  demanded  Dunwody,  frowning. 

"  Mon  per  el  He  is  come  but  now  from  Tallwoods, 
Monsieur." 

"  What  is  wrong  out  there  ?     Tell  him  to  come  in." 

"  I  go." 

A  moment  later,  Dunwody  left  the  room,  to  meet 
old  Eleazar,  who  made  such  response  as  he  could  to 
the  hurried  queries.  "  Monsieur,"  said  he,  "  I  have 
ridden  down  from  the  hills.  There  is  trouble.  In  the 
neighborhood  are  some  who  are  angry  because  their 
negroes  have  disappear'.  They  accuse  Monsieur  Dun- 
wodee  of  being  the  cause,  and  say  that  he  is  traitor, 
a  turncoat.  This  very  night  a  band  are  said  to  plan 
an  attack  upon  the  house  of  monsieur !  I  have  met 
above  there  Monsieur  Clayton,  Monsieur  Bill  Jones, 
Monsieur  le  Docteur  Jamieson,  and  others,  who  ride 
to  the  assistance  of  Monsieur  Dunwodee.  It  is  this 
very  night,  and  I  —  there  being  no  other  to  come  — 
have  come  to  advise.  Believing  that  monsieur  might 
desire  to  carry  with  him  certain  friends,  I  have  brought 
the  large  carriage.  It  is  here !  " 

"  Thank  God !  "  said  Dunwody,  "  they  don't  vote 
with  me,  but  they  ride  with  me  still  —  they're  my 
neighbors,  my  friends,  even  yet ! 

"  Hector,"  he  exclaimed  suddenly, — "come  here !  " 
Then,  as  they  both  listened,  he  went  on :  "  Tell  the 

395 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

people  there  can  not  be  a  meeting,  after  all.  I  am 
going  back  to  my  house,  to  see  what  is  on  up  yon 
der.  Hector,  can  you  get  a  fresh  horse?  And  are 
there  any  friends  who  would  go  with  you?  " 

The  sturdy  young  cooper  did  not  lack  in  courage, 
and  his  response  was  instant.  "  Assuredly  I  have  a 
horse,  Monsieur,"  was  his  reply.  "  Assuredly  we 
have  friends.  Six,  ten,  seven,  h'eight  person  shall  go 
with  us  within  the  hour !  But  I  must  tell  — 

Jeanne  was  at  his  elbow,  catching  scent  of  some 
thing  of  this,  guessing  at  possible  danger.  She  broke 
out  now  into  loud  expostulations  at  this  rashness  of  her 
spouse,  parent  of  this  progeny  of  theirs,  thus  undertak 
ing  to  expose  himself  to  midnight  dangers.  Hector, 
none  the  less,  shook  his  head. 

"  It  is  necessary  that  one  go  armed,"  commented 
Eleazar  calmly.  He  patted  with  affection  the  long 
barreled  piece  which  lay  over  his  own  arm. 

Much  of  this  conversation,  loud  and  excited  as  it 
was,  could  not  fail  to  reach  the  ears  of  Josephine,  who 
presently  had  joined  them,  and  who  now  heard  the 
story  of  the  old  man,  so  fully  confirming  all  Dunwody 
said. 

"  There  is  trouble !  There  is  trouble !  "  she  said, 
with  her  usual  prompt  decision.  "  There  is  room  for 
me  in  the  coach.  I  am  going  along." 

"You  —  what  in  the  world  do  you  mean? 
You'll  do  nothing  of  the  sort !  "  rejoined  Dunwody. 
"  It's  going  to  be  no  place  for  women,  up  there.  It's 
a  fight,  this  time !  " 

396 


THE  TURNCOAT 

"  Perhaps  not  for  Jeanne  or  Hector's  mother,  or 
for  many  women ;  but  for  me  it  is  the  very  place  where 
I  belong!  /  made  that  trouble  yonder.  It  was  I,  not 
you,  who  caused  that  disaffection  among  the  blacks. 
Your  neighbors  ought  to  blame  me,  not  you  —  I  will 
explain  it  all  to  them  in  a  moment,  in  an  instant. 
Surely,  they  will  listen  to  me.  Yes,  I  am  going." 

Dunwody  looked  at  her  in  grave  contemplation  for 
an  instant. 

"  In  God's  name,  my  dear  girl,  how  can  you  find  it 
in  your  heart  to  see  that  place  again?  But  do  you 
find  it?  Will  you  go?  If  you  insist,  we'll  take  care 
of  you." 

"  Of  course !  Of  course !  "  she  replied,  and  even 
then  \vas  busy  hunting  for  her  wraps.  "  Get  ready ! 
Let  us  start." 

"  Have  cushions  and  blankets  for  the  carriage, 
Eleazar,"  said  Dunwody  quietly.  "  Better  get  a  little 
lunch  of  some  sort  to  take  along.  Go  down  to  the 
barn  yonder  and  get  fresh  horses.  I  don't  think  this 
team  could  stand  it  all  the  way  back." 


397 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

THE  SPECTER   IN    THE    HOUSE 

THE  travel-stained  figures  of  Doctor  Jamieson, 
Judge  Clayton  and  the  Honorable  William 
Jones  met  the  Dunwody  coach  just  as  it  was  leaving 
at  the  upper  end  of  St.  Genevieve's  main  street.  They 
also  had  found  fresh  horses,  and  in  the  belief  of  Dun 
wody  it  was  quite  as  well  that  they  rode  horseback,  in 
common  with  the  followers  of  Hector,  who  pres 
ently  came  trooping  after  him.  The  interior  of  the 
coach  seemed  to  him  more  fittingly  reserved  for  this 
lady  and  himself.  None  the  less,  the  Honorable  Wil 
liam  had  abated  none  of  his  native  curiosity.  It  was 
his  head  which  presently  intruded  at  the  coach  win 
dow. 

"Ah,  ha!"  exclaimed  he.  "What?  Again? 
This  time  there  is  no  concealment,  Dunwody!  Come, 
confess!  " 

"  I  will  confess  now  as  much  as  I  ever  had  to  con 
fess,"  retorted  Dunwody  angrily.  "If  you  do  not 
know  yet  of  this  lady,  I  will  introduce  you  once  more. 
She  is  the  Countess  St.  Auban,  formerly  of  Europe, 
and  now  of  any  place  that  suits  her.  It  is  no  business 

398 


THE  SPECTER  IN  THE  HOUSE 

of  yours  or  of  mine  why  she  was  once  there,  or  cares 
to  go  there  again;  but  she  is  going  along  with  us  out 
to  Tall  woods." 

Judge  Clayton  made  salutation  more  in  keeping 
with  good  courtesy  than  had  his  inquisitive  friend. 
"  I  have  been  following  the  fortunes  of  this  lady  some 
what  attentively  of  late,"  he  said,  at  length.  "  At 
least,  she  has  not  been  idle !  " 

"  Precisely !  "  ventured  Josephine,  leaning  out  the 
window.  "  That  is  why  I  am  coming  to-night.  I 
understand  there  has  been  trouble  down  here, —  that 
it  came  out  of  the  work  of  our  Colonization  Society  — " 

"  Rather!  "  said  Clayton  grimly. 

"  I  was  back  of  that.  But,  believe  me,  as  I  told 
Mr.  Dunwody,  I  was  not  in  the  least  responsible  for 
the  running  off  of  negroes  in  this  neighborhood.  I 
thought,  if  I  should  go  out  there  and  tell  these  other 
gentlemen,  that  they  would  understand." 

'  That's  mighty  nice  of  you,"  ventured  the  Honor 
able  William  Jones.  "  But  if  we  don't  git  there  be 
fore  midnight,  they'll  be  so  full  of  whisky  and  devil 
ment  that  7  don't  think  they'll  listen  even  to  you, 
Ma'am." 

"  It  is  pretty  bad,  I'm  afraid,"  said  Judge  Clayton. 
"  What  with  one  thing  and  another,  this  country  of 
ours  has  been  in  a  literal  state  of  anarchy  for  the  last 
year  or  two.  What  the  end  is  going  to  be,  I'm  sure 
I  don't  see. 

"  And  the  immediate  cause  of  all  this  sort  of  thing, 
my  dear  Madam,"  he  continued,  as  he  rode  along- 

399 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

side,  "  why,  it  seems  to  be  just  that  girl  Lily,  that  we 
had  all  the  trouble  about  last  year.  By  the  way, 
what's  become  of  that  girl?  Too  bad  —  she  was  more 
than  half  white !  " 

"  Yes,  it  is  all  about  that  girl  Lily,"  said  Josephine 
slowly,  restraining  in  her  own  soul  the  impulse  to 
cry  out  the  truth  to  him,  to  tell  him  why  this  girl 
was  almost  white,  why  she  had  features  like  his  own. 
"  That  is  the  trouble,  I  am  afraid, —  that  girl  Lily, 
and  her  problem!  If  we  could  understand  all  of  that, 
perhaps  we  could  see  the  reason  for  this  anarchy !  " 

The  group  broke  apart,  as  the  exigencies  of  the 
road  traveled  required.  Now  and  again  some  conver 
sation  passed  between  the  occupants  of  the  carriage 
and  the  horsemen  who  loosely  grouped  about  it  as 
they  advanced.  The  great  coach  swayed  its  way  on 
up  through  the  woods  into  the  hills,  over  a  road 
never  too  good  and  now  worse  than  usual.  They  had 
thirty  miles  or  more  to  drive,  most  of  it  after  dark. 
Could  they  make  that  distance  in  time? 

Dunwody,  moody,  silent,  yet  tense,  keyed  to  the 
highest  point,  now  made  little  comment.  Even  when 
left  alone,  he  ventured  upon  no  intimate  theme  with  his 
companion  in  the  coach;  nor  did  she  in  turn  speak 
upon  any  subject  which  admitted  argument.  Once 
she  congratulated  him  upon  his  recovery  from  what 
had  seemed  so  dangerous  a  hurt. 

"  But  that  is  nothing  now,"  he  said.  "  I  got  off 
better  than  I  had  any  right, —  limp  a  little,  maybe,  but 

400 


"BY  THE  WAY,  WHAT'S  BECOME  OF  THAT  GIRL?" 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

they  say  that  even  that  is  mostly  a  matter  of  habit 
now.  Jamieson  says  his  fiddle  string  may  have 
slipped  a  little !  And  you  ?  " 

"  Oh,  perfectly  well,"  she  answered.  "  I  even 
think  I  may  be  happy  —  you  know,  I  must  start  my 
French  and  English  classes  before  long." 

Silent  now  in  part  as  to  matters  present,  wholly 
silent  as  to  matters  past,  these  two  went  on  into  the 
night,  neither  loosing  the  tight  rein  on  self.  Sway 
ing  and  jolting  its  way  upward  and  outward  into 
the  wilder  country,  the  coach  at  last  had  so  far 
plunged  into  the  night  that  they  were  almost  within 
touch  of  the  valley  in  which  lay  the  Dunwody  lands. 
Eleazar,  the  trapper,  rode  on  the  box  with  the  negro 
driver  who  had  been  impressed  into  service.  It  was 
the  old  trapper  who  at  length  called  for  a  halt. 

"Listen!"  said  he.     "What  is  that?" 

Dunwody  heard  him,  and  as  the  coach  pulled  up, 
thrust  his  head  out  of  the  window.  The  sound  was 
repeated. 

"  I  hear  it!  "  cried  he.  "  Rifle  firing!  I'm  afraid 
we're  going  to  be  too  late.  Drive  on,  there,  fast !  " 

Finally  they  reached  the  point  in  the  road  just 
below  the  shut-in,  where  the  hills  fell  back  in  the  ap 
proach  to  the  little  circular  valley.  Dunwody's  gaze 
was  bent  eagerly  out  and  ahead.  "My  God!"  he 
exclaimed,  at  length.  "  We  are  too  late!  Look!  " 

At  the  same  moment  there  came  excited  cries  from 
the  horsemen  who  followed.  Easily  visible  now 
against  the  black  background  of  the  night,  there 

402 


THE  SPECTER  IN  THE  HOUSE 

showed  a  flower  of  light,  rising  and  falling,  strengthen 
ing. 

"Drive!"  cried  Dumvody;  and  now  the  sting  of 
the  lash  urged  on  the  weary  team.  They  swung 
around  the  turn  of  the  shut-in,  and  came  at  full  speed 
into  the  approach  across  the  valley.  Before  them  lay 
the  great  Tall  woods  mansion  house.  It  stood  before 
them  a  pillar  of  fire,  prophetic,  it  might  be  repeated,  of 
a  vast  and  cleansing  catastrophe  soon  to  come  to  that 
state  and  this  nation;  a  catastrophe  which  alone  could 
lay  the  specter  in  our  nation's  house. 

They  were  in  time  to  see  the  last  of  the  disaster, 
but  too  late  to  offer  remedy.  By  the  time  the  coach 
had  pulled  up  at  the  head  of  the  gravel  way,  before 
the  yet  more  rapid  horsemen  had  flung  themselves  from 
their  saddles,  the  end  easily  was  to  be  guessed.  The 
house  had  been  fired  in  a  half  score  places.  At  the 
rear,  even  now,  the  long  streaks  of  flame  were  reach 
ing  up  to  the  cornice,  casting  all  the  front  portion  of 
the  house,  and  the  lawn  which  lay  before  it,  into  deep 
shadow.  The  shrubbery  and  trees  thus  outlined 
showed  black  and  grim. 

The  men  of  the  Tallwoods  party  dashed  here  and 
there  among  the  covering  of  trees  back  of  the  house. 
There  were  shots,  hastily  exchanged,  glimpses  of  forms 
slinking  away  across  the  fields.  But  the  attacking 
party  had  done  their  work;  and  now,  alarmed  by  the 
sudden  appearance  of  a  resistance  stronger  than  .they 
had  expected,  were  making  their  escape.  Once  in 
a  while  there  was  heard  a  loud  derisive  shout,  now 

403 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

and  again  the  crack  of  a  spiteful  rifle,  resounding  in 
echoes  against  the  hillsides. 

Dunwody  was  among  the  first  to  disappear  in 
search  of  these  besiegers.  For  an  instant  Josephine 
was  left  alone,  undecided,  alarmed,  in  front  of  the 
great  doors.  Eleazar,  to  save  the  plunging  team, 
had  now  wheeled  the  vehicle  back,  and  was  seeking  a 
place  for  it  lower  down  the  lawn.  It  was  as  she 
stood  thus  hesitant  that  there  approached  her  from 
some  point  in  the  bushes  a  disheveled  figure.  Turn 
ing,  she  recognized  none  other  than  old  Sally,  her 
former  jailer  and  sometime  friend. 

"Sally,"  she  cried;  "Sally!  What  is  it?  Who 
has  done  this?  Where  are  they?  What  is  it  all 
about  ?  Can't  anything  be  done?  " 

But  Sally,  terrified  beyond  reason,  could  exclaim 
only  one  word :  "  Whah  is  he  ?  Whah's  Air.  Dun 
wody?  Quick!"  An  instant  later,  she  too  was 
gone. 

At  the  same  moment,  Dunwody,  weapon  in  hand, 
dashed  around  the  corner  of  the  house  and  up  on  the 
front  gallery.  Apparently  he  was  searching  for  some 
one  whom  he  did  not  find.  Here  he  was  soon  dis 
covered  by  the  old  negro  woman,  who  began  an  ex 
cited  harangue,  with  wild  gesticulations.  To  Jose 
phine  it  seemed  that  Sally  pointed  toward  the  interior 
of  the  house,  as  though  she  beckoned,  explained.  She 
heard  his  deep-voiced  cry. 

By  this  time  the  flames  had  taken  firm  hold  upon 
the  entire  structure.  Smoke  tinged  with  red  lines 

404 


THE  SPECTER  IN  THE  HOUSE 

poured  through  the  great  double  doors  of  the  mansion 
house.  Yet  even  as  she  met  the  act  with  an  exclama 
tion  of  horror,  Josephine  saw  Dunwody  fling  away 
his  weapons,  run  to  the  great  doors  and  crash  through 
them,  apparently  bent  upon  reaching  some  point  deep 
in  the  interior. 

Others  saw  this,  and  joined  in  her  cry  of  terror. 
The  interior  of  the  hall,  thus  disclosed  by  the  open 
ing  of  the  doors,  seemed  but  a  mass  of  flames.  An 
instant  later,  Dunwody  staggered  back,  his  arm  across 
his  face.  His  hair  was  smoking,  the  mustaches  half 
burned  from  his  lips.  He  gasped  for  breath,  but, 
revived  by  air,  drew  his  coat  across  his  mouth  and 
once  again  clashed  back.  Josephine,  standing  with 
hands  clasped,  her  eyes  filled  with  terror,  expected 
never  to  see  him  emerge  alive. 

He  was  scarcely  more  than  alive  when  once  more 
he  came  back,  blinded  and  staggering.  This  time 
arms  reached  out  to  him,  steadied  him,  dragged  him 
from  the  gallery,  through  the  enshrouding  smoke,  to 
a  place  of  safety. 

He  bore  something  shielded,  concealed  in  his  arms 
—  something,  which  now  he  carried  tenderly  and 
placed  down  away  from  the  sight  of  others,  behind 
the  shade  of  a  protecting  clump  of  shrubbery.  His 
breath,  labored,  sobbing,  showed  his  distress.  They 
caught  him  again  when  he  staggered  back,  dragged 
him  to  a  point  somewhat  removed,  upon  the 
lawn.  All  the  time  he  struggled,  as  though  once  more 
to  dash  back  into  the  flames,  or  as  though  to  find  his 

405 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

weapons.  He  was  sobbing,  half  crazed,  horribly 
burned,  but  seemingly  unmindful  of  his  hurts. 

The  fire  went  on  steadily  with  its  work,  the  more 
rapidly  now  that  the  opening  of  the  front  doors  had 
admitted  air  to  the  interior.  The  construction  of  the 
house,  with  a  wide  central  hall,  and  stairways  lead 
ing  up  almost  to  the  roof,  made  an  admirable  arrange 
ment  for  a  conflagration.  No  living  being,  even 
though  armed  with  the  best  of  fire  fighting  apparatus, 
could  have  survived  in  that  blazing  interior.  All  they 
could  do,  since  even  a  bucket  brigade  was  out  of  the 
question  here,  was  to  stand  and  watch  for  the  end. 
Some  called  for  ladders,  but  by  accident  or  design, 
no  ladders  were  found  where  they  should  have  been. 
Men  ran  about  like  ants.  None  knew  anything  of 
time's  passing.  No  impression  remained  on  their 
minds  save  the  fascinating  picture  of  this  tall  pillar 
of  the  fire. 

Dunwody  ceased  to  struggle  with  those  who  re 
strained  him.  He  wyalked  apart,  near  to  the  little 
clump  of  shrubs.  He  dropped  to  the  ground,  his 
face  in  his  hands. 

"  What  do  you  reckon  that  thah  was  he  brung  out 
in  his  arms,  that  time  ? "  demanded  Mr.  William 
Jones,  after  a  time,  of  a  neighbor  who  met  him  a  little 
apart.  "  Say,  you  reckon  that  was  folks?  Anybody 
in  there  ?  Anybody  over  —  thah  ?  Was  that  a 
bed — folded  up  like — 'bout  like  a  crib,  say?  I'm 
skeered  to  go  look,  somehow." 

"  God  knows !  "  was  the  reply.  "  This  here  house 
406 


THE  SPECTER  IN  THE  HOUSE 

has  had  mighty  strange  goings  on  of  late  times. 
There  was  always  something  strange  about  it, — 
something  strange  about  Dunwody  too !  There  ain't 
no  doubt  about  that.  But  I'm  skeered,  too  —  him 
a-settin'  thah  — 

"But  who  was  she,  or  it,  whatever  it  was?  How 
come  —  it  —  in  there?  How  long  has  it  been  there? 
What  kind  of  goings  on  do  you  think  there  has  been 
in  this  here  place,  after  all?"  Mr.  Jones  was  not 
satisfied.  They  passed  apart,  muttering,  exclaiming, 
wondering. 

An  hour  later,  Tallwoods  mansion  house  was  no 
more.  The  last  of  cornice  and  pillar  and  corner  post 
and  beam  had  fallen  into  a  smoldering  mass.  In 
front  of  one  long  window  a  part  of  the  heavy  brick 
foundation  remained.  Some  bent  and  warped  iron 
bars  appeared  across  a  window. 

Unable  to  do  anything,  these  who  had  witnessed 
such  scenes,  scarce  found  it  possible  to  depart.  They 
stood  about,  whispering,  or  remaining  silent,  some 
regarding  the  smouldering  ruin.  Once  in  a  while  a 
head  was  turned  over  shoulder  toward  a  bowed  form 
which  sat  close  under  a  sheltering  tree  upon  the 
lawn. 

"  He  is  taking  it  mighty  hard,"  said  this  or  that 
neighbor.  "  Lost  nigh  about  everything  he  had  in 
the  world."  But  still  his  bowed  form,  stern  in  its 
sentinelship,  guarded  the  Something  concealed  be 
hind  the  shadows.  And  still  they  dared  not  go  closer. 

So,  while  Dunwody  was  taking  that  which  had 
407 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

come  to  him,  as  human  beings  must,  the  gray  of  the 
dawn  crawled  up,  up  over  the  eastern  edge  of  this 
little  Ozark  Valley.  After  a  time  the  day  would  come 
again,  would  look  with  franker  eyes  upon  this  scene 
of  horror.  As  the  light  grew  stronger,  though  yet 
cold  and  gray,  Dunwody,  sighing,  raised  his  head 
from  his  hands  and  turned.  There  was  a  figure  seated 
close  to  him  —  a  woman,  who  reached  out  a  hand 
to  take  his  scarred  and  burned  ones  in  her  own, —  a 
woman,  moreover,  who  asked  him  no  questions. 

"Oh!  Oh  God!"  he  began,  for  the  first  time 
breaking  silence,  his  burned  lips  twitching.  "  And 
you, —  why  don't  you  go  away?  What  made  you 
come  ?  " 

She  was  silent  for  a  time.  "  Am  I  not  your 
friend?"  she  asked,  at  length. 

Now  he  could  look  at  her.  "  My  friend !  "  said  he 
bitterly.  "  As  if  all  the  world  had  a  friend  for  me ! 
How  could  there  be?  But  you  saw  that, —  this — ?" 

She  made  no  answer,  but  only  drew  a  trifle  nearer, 
seeing  him  for  the  first  time  unnerved  and  unstrung. 
"  I  saw  something,  I  could  not  tell  what  —  when  you 
came  out.  I  supposed  — " 

"  Well,  then,"  said  he,  with  a  supreme  effort  which 
demanded  all  his  courage,  as  he  turned  toward  her; 
"  it  all  had  to  come  out,  somehow.  It  is  the  end,  now." 

She  had  brought  with  her  a  cup  of  water.  Now 
she  handed  it  to  him  without  comment.  His  hand 
trembled  as  he  took  it. 

"  You  saw  that  —  ?  "  He  nodded  toward  the  ruins. 
408 


His   boned   form   guarded   the   Soinethiiu 


THE  SPECTER  IN  THE  HOUSE 

All  she  did  was  to  nod,  in  silence.  "  Yes,  I  saw  you 
come  out  —  with  —  that  —  in  your  arms." 

"  Who  —  what  —  do  you  suppose  it  was  ?  " 

"I  don't  know."  Then,  suddenly,— "  Tell  me. 
Tell  me!  Was  it  she?" 

"  Send  them  away ! "  he  said  to  her  after  a  time. 
She  turned,  and  those  who  stood  about  seemed  to 
catch  the  wish  upon  her  face.  They  fell  back  for  a 
space,  silent,  or  talking  in  low  tones. 

"  Come,"  he  said. 

He  led  her  a  pace  or  so,  about  the  scanty  wall  of 
shrubbery.  He  pulled  back  a  bit  of  old  and  faded  silk, 
a  woman's  garment  of  years  ago,  from  the  face  of 
that  Something  which  lay  there,  on  a  tiny  cot,  scarce 
larger  than  a  child's  bed. 

It  was  the  face  of  a  woman  grown,  yet  of  a 
strangely  vague  and  childlike  look.  The  figure,  never 
very  large,  was  thin  and  shrunken  unbelievably.  The 
features,  waxy-white,  were  mercifully  spared  by  the 
flames  which  had  licked  at  the  shielding  hands  and 
arms  that  had  borne  her  hither.  Yet  they  seemed 
even  more  thin,  more  wax-like,  more  unreal,  than  had 
their  pallor  come  by  merciful  death.  Death?  Ah, 
here  was  written  death  through  years.  Life,  full, 
red-blooded,  abounding,  luxuriant,  riotous,  never  had 
animated  this  pallid  form,  or  else  had  long  years  since 
abandoned  it.  This  was  but  the  husk  of  a  human 
being,  clinging  beyond  its  appointed  time  to  this  world, 
so  cruel  and  so  kind. 

They  stood  and  gazed,  solemnly,  for  a  time. 
409 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

The  hands  of  Josephine  St.  Auban  were  raised  in  the 
sign  of  her  religion.  Her  lips  moved  in  some  swift 
prayer.  She  could  hear  the  short,  hard  breathing  of 
the  man  who  stood  near  her,  grimed,  blistered,  dis 
figured,  in  his  effort  to  bring  away  into  the  light  for 
a  time  at  least  this  specter,  so  long  set  apart  from  all 
the  usual  ways  of  life. 

"  She  has  been  there  for  years,"  he  said,  at  last, 
thickly.  "  We  kept  her,  I  kept  her,  here  for  her  sake. 
In  this  country  it  would  be  a  sort  of  disgrace  for 
any  —  any  —  feeble  —  person,  you  know,  to  go  to  an 
institution.  Those  are  our  graves  over  yonder  in  the 
yard.  You  see  them?  Well,  here  was  our  asylum. 
We  kept  our  secrets. 

"  She  was  this  way  for  more  than  ten  years.  She 
was  hurt  in  an  accident  —  her  spine.  She  withered 
away.  Her  mind  was  gone  —  she  was  like  a  child. 
She  had  toys,  like  a  child.  She  wept,  she  cried  out 
like  a  child.  Very  often  I  was  obliged  to  play  — 
Ah!  my  God!  My  God!" 

"  This  was  one  of  your  family.  It  was  that  which 
we  heard  —  which  we  felt  —  about  the  place  —  ?  " 
Her  voice  was  very  clear,  though  low. 

"My  wife!  Now  you  know."  He  dropped  back, 
his  face  once  more  between  his  hands,  and  again  she 
fell  into  silence. 

"How  long  —  was  this?"  at  length  she  asked 
quietly. 

He  turned  a  scorched  and  half-blinded  face  toward 
her,  "  Ever  since  I  was  a  boy,  you  might  say,"  said 

410 


THE  SPECTER  IN  THE  HOUSE 

he.  "  Even  before  my  father  and  mother  died.  We 
kept  our  own  counsel.  We  ran  away,  we  two  chil 
dren.  They  counseled  me  against  it.  My  people 
didn't  like  the  match,  but  I  wouldn't  listen.  It  came 
like  some  sort  of  judgment.  Not  long  after  we  were 
married  it  came  —  the  dreadful  accident,  with  a  run 
away  team  —  and  we  saw, —  we  knew  —  in  a  little 
while  —  that  she  simply  lived  like  a  child  —  a  plant  — 
That  was  ten  years  ago,  ten  centuries !  —  ten  thousand 
years  of  torture.  But  I  kept  her.  I  shielded  her  the 
best  I  knew  how.  That  was  her  place  yonder,  where 
the  bars  were  —  you  see.  Nobody  knew  any  more. 
It's  all  alone,  back  in  here.  Some  said  there  was  a 
funeral,  out  here.  Jamieson  didn't  deny  it,  I  did  not 
deny  it.  But  she  lived  —  there !  Sally  took  care  of  her. 
Sometimes  she  or  the  others  were  careless.  You  heard, 
once  or  twice.  Well,  anyway,  I  couldn't  tell  you.  It 
didn't  seem  right  —  to  her.  And  you  were  big  enough 
not  to  ask.  I  thank  you !  Now  you  know." 

Still  she  was  silent.  They  dropped  down,  now 
weary,  side  by  side,  on  the  grass. 

"  Now  you  see  into  one  bit  of  a  human  heart,  don't 
you?"  said  he  bitterly.  The  gray  dawn  showed  his 
distorted  and  wounded  face,  scarred,  blackened, 
burned,  as  at  length  he  tried  to  look  at  her. 

"'I  did  the  best  I  knew.  I  knew  it  wasn't  right  to 
feel  as  I  did  toward  you  —  to  talk  as  I  did  —  but  I 
couldn't  help  it,  I  tell  you,  I  just  couldn't  help  it!  I 
can't  help  it  now.  But  I  don't  think  it's  wrong  now, 
even  —  here.  I  was  starved.  When  I  saw  you, — 

411 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

well,  you  know  the  rest.  I  have  got  nothing  to  say. 
It  would  be  no  use  for  me  to  explain.  I  make  no  ex 
cuses  for  myself.  I  have  got  to  take  my  medicine. 
Anyhow,  part  of  it  —  part  of  it  is  wiped  out." 

"  It  is  wiped  out,"  she  repeated  simply.  "  The 
walls  that  stood  there  —  all  of  them  —  are  gone. 
It  is  the  act  of  fate,  of  God!  I  had  not  known  how 
awful  a  thing  is  life.  It  is  all  —  wiped  away  by  fire. 
Those  walls  — " 

"  But  not  my  sins,  not  my  selfishness,  not  the  wrong 
I  have  done !  Even  all  that  has  happened  to  me,  or 
may  happen  to  me,  wouldn't  be  punishment  enough 
for  that.  Now  you  asked  me  if  you  were  not  my 
friend?  Of  course  you  are  not.  How  could  you 
be?" 

"  It  would  be  easier  now  than  ever  before,"  she 
said.  But  he  shook  his  head  from  side  to  side,  slowly, 
dully,  monotonously. 

"  No,  no,"  he  said,  "  it  would  not  be  right, —  I 
would  not  allow  it." 

"  I  remember  now,"  she  said  slowly,  "  how  you  hesi 
tated.  It  must  have  been  agony  for  you.  I  knew 
there  was  something,  all  the  time.  Of  course,  I  could 
not  tell  what.  But  it  must  have  been  agony  for  you 
to  offer  to  tell  me  —  of  this." 

"  Oh,  I  might  have  told  you  then.  Perhaps  it 
would  have  been  braver  if  I  had.  I  tried  it  a  dozen 
times,  but  couldn't.  I  don't  pretend  to  say  whether 
it  was  selfishness  or  cowardice,  or  just  kindness  to 
—  her.  If  I  ever  loved  her,  it  was  so  faint  and  far 
away  —  but  it  isn't  right  to  say  that,  now." 

412 


THE  SPECTER  IN  THE  HOUSE 

"No.     Do  not.     Do  not." 

"  I  don't  know.  There  are  a  heap  of  things  I  don't 
know.  But  I  knew  I  loved  you.  It  was  for  ever. 
That  was  what  was  meant  to  be.  It  seemed  to  me  I 
owed  debts  on  every  hand  —  to  the  world  —  to  you : 
I  tried  —  tried  to  pay  —  to  pay  you  fair,  ache  for  ache, 
if  I  could,  for  the  hurts  I'd  given  you.  And  you 
wouldn't  let  me.  You  were  wonderful.  Before  the 
throne  of  God  —  here  —  now,  I'll  say  it :  I  love  you ! 
But  now  it's  over." 

"  It  is  easier  now,"  she  said  again.  "  You  must 
not  give  way.  You  are  strong.  You  must  not  be 
beaten.  You  must  keep  your  courage." 

"  Give  me  a  moment,"  he  said.  "  Give  me  a  chance 
to  get  on  my  feet  again.  I  want  to  be  game  as  I  can." 

'  You  have  courage  —  the  large  courage,"  she  an 
swered  quietly.  "  Haven't  you  been  showing  it,  by 
your  very  silence?  You  will  be  brave.  You  are  just 
beginning.  You  have  changed  many  things  in  your 
life  of  late.  You  were  silent.  You  did  not  boast 
to  me.  Sometimes  things  seem  to  be  changed  for  us, 
without  our  arrangement." 

"Isn't  it  true?"  he  exclaimed,  turning  to  her 
quickly ;  "  isn't  it  the  truth  ?  Why,  look  at  me.  I  met 
you  a  year  ago.  Here  I  sit  now.  Two  different  men, 
eh?  No  chance,  either  time.  No  chance." 

"  Maybe  two  different  women,"  said  she. 

"  No,  we  are  not  different,"  he  went  on  suddenly. 
"  We  are  something  just  the  same, —  for  my  part,  at 
least,  I  have  never  changed  very  much  in  some  ways." 

'  You  have  suffered  a  great  deal,"  she  said  sim- 

413 


THE  PURCHASE  PRICE 

ply.  "  You  have  lost  very  much.  You  are  no  longer 
a  boy.  You  are  a  man,  now.  You've  changed  be 
cause  you  are  a  man.  And  it  wasn't  —  well,  it  wasn't 
done  for  —  for  any  reward." 

"  No,  maybe  not.  In  some  ways  I  don't  think  just 
the  way  I  used  to.  But  the  savage  —  the  brute  — 
in  me  is  there  just  the  same.  I  don't  want  to  do  what 
is  right.  I  don't  want  to  know  what  is  right.  I  only 
want  to  do  what  I  want  to  do.  What  I  covet,  I  covet. 
What  I  love,  I  love.  What  I  want,  I  want.  That 
is  all.  And  yet,  just  a  minute  ago  you  were  telling 
me  you  would  be  a  friend !  Not  to  a  man  like  that ! 
It  wouldn't  be  right." 

She  made  no  answer.  The  faces  of  both  were  now 
turned  toward  the  gray  dawn  beyond  the  hills.  It  was 
some  moments  before  once  more  he  turned  to  her. 

"  But  you  and  I  —  just  you  and  I,  together,  think 
ing  the  way  we  both  do,  seeing  what  we  both  see  — 
the  splendid  sadness  and  the  glory  of  living  and  lov 
ing —  and  being  what  we  both  are!  Oh,  it  all  comes 
back  to  me,  I  tell  you;  and  I  say  I  have  not  changed. 
I  shall  always  call  your  hair  '  dark  as  the  night  of  dis 
union  and  separation  ' —  isn't  that  what  the  oriental 
poet  called  it  ?  —  and  your  face,  to  me,  always,  always, 
always,  will  be  '  fair  as  the  days  of  union  and  delight.' 
No  you've  not  changed.  You're  still  just  a  tell  flower, 
in  the  blades  of  grass  —  that  are  cut  down.  But 
wasted !  What  is  in  my  mind  now,  when  maybe  it 
ought  not  to  be  here,  is  just  this:  What  couldn't  you 
and  I  have  done  together  ?  Ah !  Nothing  could  have 
stopped  us !  " 

414 


THE  SPECTER  IN  THE  HOUSE 

"What  could  we  not  have  done?"  she  repeated 
slowly.  "  I've  done  so  little  —  in  the  world  —  alone." 

Something  in  her  tone  caught  his  ear,  his  senses, 
overstrung,  vibrating  in  exquisite  susceptibility,  capable 
almost  of  hearing  thought  that  dared  not  be  thought. 
He  turned  his  blackened  face,  bent  toward  her,  look 
ing  into  her  face  with  an  intensity  which  almost 
annihilated  the  human  limitations  of  flesh  and  blood. 
It  was  as  though  his  soul  heard  something  in  hers, 
and  turned  to  answer  it,  to  demand  its  repetition. 

"Did  you  say,  could  have  done?"  he  demanded. 
"Tell  me,  did  you  say  that?" 

She  did  not  answer,  and  he  went  on.  "  Listen !  " 
he  said  in  his  old,  imperious  way.  "  What  couldn't 
we  do  together  in  the  world,  for  the  world  —  even 
now?" 

For  a  long  time  there  was  silence.  At  last,  a  light 
hand  fell  upon  the  brown  and  blistered  one  which  he 
had  thrust  out. 

"  Do  you  think  so  ?  "  he  heard  a  gentle  voice  reply. 


rco 


Date  Due 

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